The Loyal Servant
by I'mNotAWriter25
Summary: After Minato seals the nine tailed beast inside of Naruto he is kidnapped and trained by Obito and the Black Zetsu to spy for them on the hidden leaf village. Naruto's eyes aren't his own anymore. But when he meets friends and people will he be able to carry on his mission or will the love for his new village be too much. This will be a NaruxIno story rated M for language/gore.
1. Prologue

Loyal Servant

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters **

Prologue

_Third Hokage's POV_

Today marked the tenth-year anniversary since the nine tailed beast attacked, nine years since the fourth Hokage died and nine years since his greatest failure. '_I wonder what became of that child, and what became of the nine tailed beast.'_

_Flashback _

_The earth shook as the beast roared; its tails trapped under the famous chains of the Uzumaki blood line. Kushina held him in place as Minato performed the hand seals of a forbidden technique, the reaper death seal. A barrier stopped me and the ANBU black ops from helping or trying to stop Minato, his eyes showed nothing but determination as the ghostly figure of the technique appeared and shoved its spectral arm through him. The hand gripped the beast by its neck and pulled grabbing its chakra and sealing it within Minato. _

"_Alright, next is the Eight Signed Seal." Minato said summoning a small sealing pedestal where he set the new born babe._

"_Is that a child?" one of the ANBU whispered._

"_Naruto," the name escaped my lip as we looked unable to do anything._

_The beast seemed to know what was next as he lurched forward attempting to strike the child only to be stopped by both Kushina and Minato. One of the claws piercing both and stopping short of hitting Naruto. Minato summoned a frog and gave it the key to the seal he would likely use on Naruto and then it disappeared. The nine tailed beast appeared to be sucked into Naruto's belly. The barrier holding them back seemed to weaken as the creator fell to the ground his body lifeless. As the ANBU and myself approached a figure like a shadow of a man rose from the ground, grabbing hold of the crying child. _

"_Who are you?" I inquired preparing myself to fight for the life left behind by Minato and Kushina._

"_No one really," a rough voice answered but the shape seemed to be staring intently at the child it was holding rocking him back and forth "but our mission here is done."_

_The ANBU lunged at the figure as it started to sink back into the floor taking Naruto with him, but they were all to slow to stop him. We stared frozen in place at the place in the ground where the figure had disappeared to. Startled by the coughing and groaning coming from one of the death parents we finally moved._

"_Where's Naruto? Where is my son?" Kushina asked tears of pain and sadness flowing freely from her eyes. _

_The ANBU started the medical ninjutsu but stopped soon as they realized that there was no way of saving her. All I could do was hold her as she cried and sobbed blood slowly flowing through her mouth and her wounds as she slipped from this world._

_End Flashback _

A loud yell and sounds of explosions brought me back. The sound of fighting seemed to get louder as they got closer and then the door was blasted by a strong gust of wind. And the figure of a child stood Infront of him a short single bladed sword stained with blood aimed at him. The figure had a torn and bloodied traveling cloaked, its hood obscuring most of his attacker's face. His weaponless hand gripped tightly onto a bloodied ANBU's mask.

"You're next old man," a young child's voice said as his grip on the mask shattered it sending pieces of the porcelain all over the room.

"Who are you?" I inquired standing up preparing for a battle.

The assailant pulled his hood off revealing some spiky yellow blond hair, his eyes where obstructed from view with a white bandage but the glow of two red eyes could be seen and three whiskers on either side of his face. A gasp and a few tears escaped him as he stared, frozen in pure shock at the young kid Infront of him.

"Naruto?"

**That's it for the prologue Hope it grabbed your attention and I'm sorry if its not all that great, I'm not a professional writer. Hope you enjoy and are looking forward to reading the rest of the story. Btw this will be a NarutoxIno story, I know it kind of doesn't make sense in the anime because they don't really spend a lot of time together in the anime, but it'll be different in the story and it'll make sense. Also, I like their pairing because I've read other Naruino stories so yeah.**


	2. Welcome To Konoha

Arrival

Naruto's POV

Naruto slowly opened his eyes taking in his surroundings, flinching at the brightness the white walls reflected from the sun. The sound of chains drew his attention towards his wrist where he noticed the manacles, he had tight around his wrist and ankles. Heavy bandages around his abdomen and his head, however his eyes were exposed.

"You're finally awake," the voice of his intended target brought his attention to his left towards the door. The third Hokage stood on the opened door way with two ANBU by his side both of which wore the standard ANBU uniforms, and followed closely by a man with long ash blond hair reaching into his lower back, which he wore spiky on top and ending in a long ponytail, blue-green eyes and strong facial features, which included a well-defined jaw line. He was also wearing the standard uniform of the interrogation squad.

"Let me go old man!" Naruto exclaimed anger rising within his chest, he had failed his mission to kill the third Hokage.

"We can't do that," the man with the Hokage said "you killed three ANBU and injured another five."

Two doctors walked in holding clipboards and checking on his bandages. Naruto struggled against his restraints baring his teeth like an animal at them. This caused the doctors to back away and look at the Hokage expectantly.

"Now, now be nice they're making sure you're not going to die," the third Hokage said. Soon after the doctors resumed their job still weary of the chained-up boy and left shortly after.

"We need to know who sent you, and why," the man with the ponytail said.

"Well according with the uniform wouldn't you be able to take the information from my brain?" Naruto retorted mockingly "I will tell you nothing."

"If it wasn't for that monster inside of you, I'd be able to easily get into your head," the man said holding a scroll "we also need to know about those eyes, who'd you take them from?"

"Well I can't answer that one either," Naruto responded biting at the skin under his restraints "its super itchy."

Anger was visible in the eyes of the interrogator, but he bit his tongue not allowing himself to be baited into a pointless argument.

"Well according to the medical reports he's got multiple broken bones that didn't heal correct, so they overlapped," the interrogator read out of a clipboard "along with twenty percent of his body is covered with scars."

"His chakra seems too strong to be that of a 10-year-old kid," one of the ANBU said looking over his shoulder at the clipboard.

The third Hokage walked over to the bed his left side what was that look in his eyes? Disgust, pity or maybe anger? No that look in his eyes was something strange something alien to him, yet he remembers seeing it in the mirror whenever he disappointed his masters.

"Are you sad?" Naruto asked the old man his voice filled with vile "you're a pathetic old man, I came to kill you and you're sad?"

"Is that?" both ANBU said recognizing the fourth Hokage's child from that same day 10 years ago.

"Lord third is there something you aren't telling us," the interrogation squad man said stepping forward "we need to find out everything about him and execute him for his attempt against your life."

"No Inoichi, we will do no such thing," Third Hokage said "and yes I know who he is, he is Naruto Uzumaki."

"He's the son of the fourth Hokage," one of the ANBU blurted out.

"Yes, but he will not be using his name, because of all the enemies Minato acquired during the third great ninja war," he answered, "as well as while he was the fourth Hokage."

"What are you all talking about?" Naruto yelled out it was annoying they acted like they new him, but they didn't know anything "kill me already, I'll be dead anyway for my failure."

"What kind of man would send a ten-year-old boy to kill one of the most powerful men in the world and expect him to succeed?" Inoichi asked puzzled "maybe his sharingan have a special power and he was supposed to use on you?"

"If it wasn't for all those ANBU protecting you then I would have killed you."

"You only caught us by surprise, and you got lucky," one of the ANBU responded.

"And I doubt you'd be able to get close to lord third," this time the second ANBU followed.

"Whatever the case we need to find out what to do with him," Inoichi said "its not safe for him to stay alive he will attempt to finish what he started, also while we searched thru his memories we came across many memory seals but we were expelled out by nine tails before we managed to get anything."

"So, he might not even be able to tell us anything even if he wanted to, I'll watch over him," The third Hokage said "I'll make sure he's okay and that he stays out of trouble."

"But we cannot leave him run free through the village, we don't know what other motives he might have," Inoichi said point at Naruto with disgust in his eyes "he's also the nine tailed beast so what if it breaks free and destroys the village."

"Enough Inoichi!" the third Hokage yelled anger in his voice "He is just a misguided child, taken from his home and forced to do others bidding, he is not to blame for the past."

Inoichi flinched and walked backwards attempting to avoid the wrath of the third Hokage. Naruto didn't care either way he just found it entertaining to see them fighting each other his mission had multiple steps. First it was for him to infiltrate the village hidden in the leaves, which he had done successfully. Second, he was to find out as much information of the hidden leaf like the power level of all the Jonin, chunin, and genin. Any information that would help the masters was his second objective. And the third and last objective was to kill the Hokage if possible.

"If that is your wish Lord Hokage," Inoichi said walking towards the door "But we still can't trust him."

And with those last words he walked outside the door, and as soon as he left the third Hokage made a hand sign and aimed it at him. Seconds later he felt woozy and slowly his eyes started to close and then complete darkness.

When he woke up, he was in a completely different setting, no shackles held him to the bed and although the bandages where still there they weren't as obstructive allowing him to move. He then noticed his surroundings he was in a comfortable bed, and a spacious room with green walls. There seemed to be the minimal amount of furniture and no decoration, but the windows let in a pleasant amount of sunlight.

"Where am I?" he asked himself, holding his head from the pain.

He got up and started to stretch out his sore muscles and did a couple quick exercises to ensure he was healed up. He then noticed a small pile of clothes and changed into them, they were kind of big on him, but he was sure they would fit properly soon. Looking at himself in the mirror he approved of the outfit. It was a black uniform jacket with an orange zipper and buttons on the waist and sleeves which he had to fold up a couple of times since they were big on him. His bottoms were an orange color along with black sandals. The back of his jacket had a red spiral emblem in the middle.

"Not bad," he told himself and made his way to the door that opened to a living area that was combined with the kitchen and two ANBU where waiting for him.

"Lord Third asked us to watch over you to make sure you stay out of trouble," on of them said they were different ones from the ones he had seen before their mask had depictions of different animals and different colors. Other than that, they wore the same standard uniforms.

"Well I'm hungry and I doubt you guys made me breakfast so let's get a move on," Naruto said heading for the door but was stopped by the ANBU who pointed at his eyes, something he understood. He unwrapped some of the bandages from his head and used it to cover his eyes, the bandages where thin enough for him to see through.

"Now we can head out," the ANBU said opening the door letting a nice breeze hit his face. He involuntarily let out a gasp as he saw the village before him. The faces of the four Hokage looming over the village protectively, along with the abundance of colors he wasn't used to since their lair was within the ground. The busy street below drew his attention multiple shops with different items and accessories, some food stands and other vendors.

"Wow!" Naruto said looking impressed.

"You haven't been to a large village before?" the ANBU asked looking at him guiding him forward toward the stairs.

"Why am I still alive?" Naruto asked walking towards the smell of something delicious "I would have thought that you guys would have killed me or at least imprison me."

"Well Lord Third seems to have a soft spot for you something about who your parents were, also apparently they think you're just a misguided kid."

"Well if I didn't know better id say you guys are a bunch of morons," Naruto responded I did kill three of you guys and would have killed the Hokage, but now I only have two ANBU as my guards."

"Kid I don't know how you did it but you just caught them by surprise, and you literally fainted when you tried to fight the Hokage," they both laughed "you wont be able to do anything with us looking after you."

"Whatever, this place looks promising," Naruto said turning towards a place called Ichiraku Ramen "This is where the amazing smell is coming from."

They walked in and were greeted by an old smiling man with grey hair behind the counter, and a friendly looking waitress.

"Hello, my name is Ayame," the waitress with the brown hair said in a sing song voice "What will you be having."

"The kid will have a miso ramen and that's it," The ANBU replied for him.

"It'll be right up."

"Wow two ANBU are escorting you, you must be important," the old man cooking said, "my name is Teuchi, and this is my establishment."

"Well you got quite a nice place if the smell, and costumers is anything to go by your food must be delicious."

"Well you seem to be a new customer hope to make you a regular," the cook said setting the bowl of ramen in front of him "enjoy."

"Thank you for the food," Naruto said digging into his food, he was starving.

"Where to next?" Naruto asked his guards as they walked out of the ramen shop.

"We were told to take you to the Academy."

"This is all so strange, yesterday I was a prisoner and now you guys are treating me like I'm a citizen of this village," Naruto said placing his hands behind his head "This isn't right, there must be a hidden motive. Say what do you know of these Uzumaki's?"

Naruto asked his Guards.

"Well the last one we knew of was that lord Fourth's wife was an Uzumaki as well as the first" one of them responded "but the rest of the clan was supposed to have been eradicated."

"You guys are uncharacteristically talkative for ANBU black ops. Was this another order from the Hokage?"

"As a matter of fact it is, he wants you to become a part of the village and he wants to give you a home," one of the ANBU said "and since you have nowhere else to go might as well let you learn what you can about the village."

"I could really be a spy or something, yet you guys are willing to risk that just because of the words of the Hokage?" Naruto asked.

"Well he is the Hokage for a reason, we trust his judgment and of course you'll be under a lot of surveillance till you have proved you're trustworthy."

'_These guys are fools; they really think that someone can change who they are and where their loyalties lie just by being nice.' _Naruto thought feeling anger rice within his chest_ 'the only thing that last is pain, the pain of failure teaches you to succeed.'_

They arrived at a fenced off group of buildings with one directly in the middle with a sign labeled as administrative building. Directly in front of it there was a large tree with a swing on it, they walked into the administrative building towards the front desk where a secretary greeted them. She wore the standard ninja outfit.

"Hello, we're here to escort this young man to the academy I'm sure lord Third send word of this."

"Oh yes this should be young Naruto Uzumaki correct?"

"Yes, that's me I guess," Naruto responded annoyed, he had never had a last name he was just called Naruto by his masters, but I guess getting a fake last name wasn't the end of the world.

"Good, you'll be in Iruka's class most of the time the aspiring ninja have to register at the age of 8 and last a total of four years in the academy before they can become genin. But I'm sure Lord Hokage has a reason for your late registration, ill take you to your classroom."

"We'll be around so don't try anything kid," The ANBU said walking away and then disappearing in gust of wind.

"Wow you have two ANBU escorts, you must be really something," the secretary said leading him down a hallway towards his class.

"Nah I'm just a nuisance," Naruto responded causing the secretary to laugh a little, they arrived at a door and she asked him to wait as she went inside to talk to the teacher.

'_Wow this is going better than I planned, soon ill have the information I need' Naruto thought to himself 'these guys really are fools'._

He was then asked into the classroom, where he stood next to the secretary and the male teacher who wore the same uniform. The male he assumed was Iruka sensei silenced his class and prepared to introduce him. He had a scar that traveled from one side of his face to the other side, going over the bridge of his nose.

"This is our new transfer student I know its not usual for a new student to be introduced to your class halfway trough the required time of training to become a gening," he paused to make sure his students where still listening "but he's got the approval from the third Hokage and I'm sure you will all welcome him to the class."

After the little announcement all eyes where on him making him a tad bit nervous, he scratched the back of his head. He then got the signal to introduce himself, so he stepped forward, hearing many of the kids in the class whisper about the bandage covering his eyes and some seemed to think he was blind or something.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki and I would like to thank you for welcoming me into your class," he said bowing slightly trying to sell the act of nice kid "as many of you might think I am not blind but there is something wrong with my eyes so I keep them covered, I hope you can all bring me up to speed and that we can all be friends."

He looked around the room smiling brightly trying to sell his charade, but inwardly he was scanning the room looking at anyone who might pose a threat to his mission. Only a few calculating eyes caught his attention, but the rest seemed genuinely interested on what he had to say.

"Nice to meet you," the whole class said at once.

"Now Naruto why don't you sit on the open seat on the third row we were going over basic taijutsu," Iruka sensei said pointing at an empty seat next to a blond girl at the end of the table "I understand if you feel a little lost but soon you'll catch up."

Naruto made his way towards his seat ignoring the many looks he was receiving from his classmates, but there was one pair of eyes he hated. A kid wearing a blue top with arm warmers and spiky black hair, and the weird thing was that he had the same eyes as him, for some reason he had activated his sharingan. However, he deactivated them before anyone else could have noticed and looked back at the board and as he passed him, he noticed the Uchiha emblem on his back.

'_That one must be the one that he was warned about,' Naruto thought._

"Hello, I'm Ino Yamanaka," a voice said next to him as soon as he sat down "I noticed you looking over at Sasuke he's so cool, isn't he?"

"Hi, yes he seems to be very observant," Naruto replied wondering if maybe she would be useful "so you're a Yamanaka? Is that a clan? or something?"

"Yes, my daddy is one of the leads of the interrogation squad members," she responded proudly.

"Inoichi?" Naruto asked attempting his best to not sound suspicious.

"Yes, how'd you know?" the clue less girl asked.

"He asked me plenty of questions when I arrived at the village," Naruto simply responded.

"Oh yeah I should have guessed."

"Well is there more you can tell me about the village?" he asked starting on his most important task which caused the girls eyes to go wide in excitement as she seemed to have free reigns to speak at her hearts content.

'_This is going to be easier than he thought''_

**So, this was pretty much the introduction of Naruto to the Hidden leave village. A little bit of a slow start but it will get better I promise. Also let me know what you thought of the Chapter, and like my username dictates I am not a writer, but I do this for fun. **

**David out.**


	3. Hatred

Hatred

**Disclaimer I don't own Naruto.**

Naruto's POV

It had been a month since he started at the academy and so far, things were going quite well, boring as hell but well none the less. He learned the name of some of the elite ninjas and some of their abilities, and some less popular but important.

"Naruto, you're next," Iruka sensei called as he finished testing the previous student. Naruto stepped forward pulling out four shuriken from his back pouch and lined up "you can throw them whenever you want."

With the go to throw he let the shuriken fly, each one hit their target. Not the center bullseye but his intended target, slightly to the right outside the bullseye.

"Don't forget to aim a little more to the left since your shots keep hitting right," Iruka commented before signaling for the next student.

"You did great," the familiar voice of Ino said as he returned to the waiting area.

Over the last two weeks more and more people had stopped talking to him at first everyone wanted to get to know him. And he told them the same thing the Hokage had told him to say that he was left an orphan after the death of his parents. Technically it wasn't a lie, but not all the truth. But rumors started to spread, someone knew about his attempt against the Hokage and the kids where warned against hanging out with him.

"Yeah I guess you could say so," he told her knowing that he could easily blow all of them of the water. When he started, he decided he'd stay under the radar and not attract any more attention than the rumors and his appearance already drew towards him.

"SASUKE!" all the fan girls including Ino yelled out, all of which he ignored.

'_The last Uchiha,' he thought 'it was easy to find information on him thanks to all his fan girls that thought he was the coolest thing in the world'_

"I still don't understand why you girls obsess over him," Naruto told Ino who stopped her chanting to look at him.

"Well just look at him he acts all cool and calm," she responded with a dreamy expression on her face "he is also a genius he has the best grades in our class, and he never fails at anything."

The way they all seemed to worship him honestly pissed him off enough to forget about his no showing off rules. Whenever they would spar, he made sure to trash him especially hard to the point where he had to activate his sharingan. Of course, it wasn't fair since he had been trained by his master in extreme about all ninja arts.

He got pulled from his thoughts as another round of cheering got his attention. He saw the tree stumps where the targets where at and saw that he had hit all bullseyes. He clicked his tongue and walked away further from the group where another group of misfits hung around.

"That Sasuke, always stealing the spotlight," Kiba said kicking the ground making lots of dust fly. He was a kid from another popular clan of ninken breeders the Inusukas. Proving his name sake, a small dog barked from the neck of his hoodie.

"Don't kick up dust Kiba some of us are eating," Choji said turning his body protectively over his bag of chips. This kid belonged to another famous clan the Akamichis, he also had the famed big boned body of the clan. He had once made the mistake of calling him fat, which cause a big fight and the fat kid getting hurt, but he learned his lesson.

As a matter of fact, most of the students of this class where from famous clans, starting with Ino Yamanaka her clan specialized on mental jutsu making them an asset to the interrogation unit. Her father was the current clan leader and a constant pain in the ass always spying on him and attempting to read his mind trying to prove him to be a threat. Then the laziest class member Shikamaru Nara who was by no means dumb he just did the bare minimum. His clan the Nara clan was said to make plenty of lazy geniuses, their excuse was that they couldn't be too active since they raised deer.

"Sensei is calling for us," Chino Aburame said with his dry boring voice as he walked towards the school circle around Iruka sensei. This one was also from a famous clan, they were a group of bug breeders, it was said that they allowed the bugs to live inside of them and use their chakra.

"You all passed todays test class will be dismissed early since you all did it in such a fast time," sensei said drawing many happy yells from his class "You guys did well but don't forget to keep practicing and getting better."

With that everyone started forming into groups again talk of celebrating with some food or something started up. Naruto however he lagged and waited for them to leave. However, the group stopped and called to him making sure to be loud and obnoxious.

"Naruto are you coming?" Ino asked probably knowing that he had decline since he did to everything she asked to do.

"Sorry I can't," he replied trying to sound remorseful but, he didn't care he had work to do still a lot of information about the village that he needed. And he had to be on standby just in case his masters wanted to show up and question him. He could hear all of them tell Ino that they already knew the answer, but she argued back about it being different.

He walked back towards his lonely and boring apartment that the Hokage had provided, this was the worst part of the day when he was alone. Well not alone if he focused on the shadows between the alley ways and the roof tops, he could see his assigned ANBU guards staying close behind. He had tried to see their reaction time by attempting an escape, but they were just too fast, so he just surrendered to the daily routine. He had received a new pair of ANBU after a week he guessed the ones he had before were needed on an important mission or something.

The new ones seemed more experienced and stayed more in the shadows, but he knew how to find them easy. The one on the roof tops to his left was the one that had a dog mask, and silver hair that seemed to defy gravity. He had an average build and the usual ANBU tattoo on his shoulder, but he always seemed to carry a small book called 'make out paradise'. The other one a block behind him in the shadows wore a cat like mask and had brown hair. He had once seen him perform wood style once after he tried his escape plan. Lost in thought he forgot where he was going and accidentally bumped into someone, hard and it made him stagger and fall on his behind.

"Oh, I'm sorry," a big man said slurring his words his mind clearly affected by the alcohol "Wait a second you're the demon child."

This drew a lot of attention as he tried to get up and keep going on his way but got stopped by another man. They both reeked of alcohol and they seemed to be looking for a fight since they weren't going to let him through without one.

"Yes, that's him," a lady two stalls away holding a small club in her hand looking threatening said. This was the effects of the rumors that started to spread, they were all still angry about the attack which seemed impossible because it had been a whole decade since.

"He also attacked the Hokage," an old man said throwing a tomato at him. It didn't hurt it never did he had endured more during training nothing they did would hurt him. But someone was stroking the anger and resentment within the people and this was making it harder to gather information.

"What are they talking about?" a soft and low voice next to him said, making him turn to see the pale eyes of a Hyuga. Hinata Hyuga to be exact she in his class as well her clan was said to be the current strongest clan in Konoha. They all used the Byakugan along with a very powerful taijutsu that attacked the chakra flow within the enemy.

"Look at his eyes, they're glowing like those of a beast," the drunken man in front of him said pointing at his bandages covering his eyes and how the orbs behind them seemed to glow red. People started to throw rock at him some hit their mark making him bleed as they hit him on the head repeatedly.

'_Where were his ANBU Guardians when he needed them,' _Naruto thought to himself _'they must just be there just to make sure he doesn't escape, but really didn't care about his wellbeing. Or maybe just maybe they where like the rest of the villagers and they also hated him'._

A small cry of pain drifted his attention towards his classmate who had gotten hit with one of the rocks aimed at him. He saw as a small trickle of blood flowed from the left side of her head past her short dark hair. He quickly grabbed her and pulled her close showing the villagers his back as they continued to throw rocks and other items.

'_If only my mission wasn't of top priority, I would have killed you guys already,' Naruto's mind growled anger rising within his chest._

"Quick someone call for help he's got a prisoner," one of the people yelled out.

"Lady Hinata!" the older voice of a ninja rang out making all the people in the square stop throwing rocks.

"There the beast boy has her in his claws."

"Get your hands of Lady Hinata," the ninja said pulling Naruto's shoulder and pushing him away, the man had the same eyes as Hinata except that the veins on the outside of his face were visible signaling that the Byakugan was activated. "Lady Hinata are you hurt? Did this boy hurt you?"

"NO, he didn't hurt me," Hinata tried to explain but the man got into a fighting stance glaring intently at Naruto.

"You will pay for laying a hand on Lady Hinata," he said before darting forward his fingers ready to aim at a vital chakra point.

But just as fast two blurs made their way and intercepted the man stopping his strike inches away from his chest. It was the ANBU black ops, the one with the brown hair had a hand on the Hyuga's shoulder while the one with silver hair held onto the attacking arm still inches away from Naruto's heart.

"Let go of me, I need to complete my duties as Lady Hinata's bodyguard," the ninja said anger clear on his voice "This boy attacked her."

"You're mistaken," the silver haired ANBU responded with a cold tone "the villagers attacked him and Lady Hinata was caught in the middle of it all and he did his best to shield her from it all."

"It's true," Hinata said in her soft voice holding her hurt side of her head.

"You saw all that and didn't step in to save both kids? What kind of ANBU are you?"

"The kind that follow orders," the brown haired ANBU said holding releasing the Hyuga's shoulder.

He then angrily withdrew his hand and turned away leading Hinata away, and everyone seemed to return to what they were doing still shooting angry looks their way. Both the ANBU looked at Naruto's injuries before hearing a quick comment escape the retreating Hyuga.

"Take him to the hospital, while I didn't make direct contact my chakra might have."

Naruto continued to make his way towards his place, hearing the ANBU disappear once more and feeling their presence nearby. He used his sleeve to clean off the blood that flowed from the rock that where thrown at him.

'_why do they hate me so much?' Naruto thought anger filling his vision 'I don't care if they like me or not, I'm not here to make people like me, and I could careless what they thought of him. Soon he'll lead an attack on this wretched village and get rid of all these annoying people.'_

His apartment had been tagged with foul language and multiple others demanding that he die, it had only a short amount of time since they had found out about the demon fox with in him. But it was long enough for them to hate him and continue to harass him if it wasn't for his dedication to his masters and his mission he would have broken down and quit a long time ago.

The ANBU stayed outside as he entered his apartment quickly going to the bathroom and clean off the blood. Once the blood was cleaned of, he saw that his cuts where already starting to heal, leaving behind small white scars.

"How's your time here been," a deep and familiar voice said to him causing him to turn around and kneel, there his two masters stood.

"Masters so good to finally hear from you," Naruto said still kneeling "I have lots of information I've acquired."

Quickly he got up and rushed towards his room scrambling for his papers, in one of his drawers there was a false bottom he had built and produced a small notebook. It was snatched from his hands by Master Zetsu scaring Naruto, he knew what would happen if he disappointed him. Master Zetsu was as scary as he looked when angry. While his body seemed to be divided into two halves one white and the other black. His upper body seemed to have the appearance of being caught in a Venus-flytrap plant, and his hair was green with two yellow eyes, which lack any visible sclerae or pupils. Also, the white part of his face was the only part of it that had a mouth with long and sharp teeth only a carnivorous animal would have.

"Well this isn't half bad brat," he said flipping through the notebook noticing the separation between the clans and individuals "however not done yet, we need more information on the more powerful people of the village like the Third Hokage and the legendary sannin."

"Yes, also tell me about the last Uchiha, does he know you possess the sharingan of his father?" Master Madara asked his single visible eye seemed to pierce through him compelling him to obey his every command, while Master Zetsu was more intimidating visually, his presence didn't compare to that of Master Madara. He wore a black cloak with red clouds that covered all of him, and his face was covered by an orange mask that swirled towards his one eye, his hair was dark, long and spiky.

"No masters," Naruto said returning to a kneeling position attempting to be as respectful as possible "I have kept as much hidden as I can and thanks to your memory seals the Interrogation squad wasn't able to get anything, however they keep trying calling me in once a week to try and remove them."

"I'm sure the Kyuubi inside of you will keep them from finding anything important," master Madara said crossing his arms "maybe it's time I make myself known again and it wouldn't be necessary for you to be here anymore."

"But you know Itachi won't be too happy to see that you're messing with Konoha," master Zetsu said with a different voice this time more playful than his usual. Naruto had deducted a while ago that Master Zetsu had two personalities within his body, which would explain his appearance.

"True I'd rather avoid losing a loyal servant this early into our plans," Master Madara said his voice sounded very pensive "well we need to go now but we will return looking for more information."

"Masters," Naruto called drawing their attention towards him "I would like to ask a question about my parents."

This angered master Zetsu, and with swift movement he was holding him with one hand around his face on either one of his temples, and three feet of the ground so that they were both eye level. His grip sent pain all over his skull, master's yellow eyes glaring at him making him regret saying anything.

"What did we say about asking that?" the deep and dark voice from before asked anger evident from his voice "did we not tell you where you came from? You came from nothing, and you are nothing, but a tool understood? That's what all ninja are."

"Sorry master, its just that the Hokage said my last name was to be Uzumaki and I overheard that the Fourth Hokage was my father," Naruto said struggling through the pain and his masters hand over his face "And the villagers seem to hate me calling me a demon and people don't seem to want to approach me."

"You are nothing but trash we found and built into a killing tool," master Madara said closing the distance between them "If it wasn't for us you'd be dead and if it wasn't for our training you would have been easy prey to the animals no more than a rat in a dumpster, do you understand?"

Naruto nodded water forming at his eyes as he held the urge to cry, he didn't cry he never did. They released him causing him to fall on his ass. Madara kneeled before him and removed the bandage that covered his eyes revealing his sharingan.

"I gave you this," master Madara said pointing at his borrowed eyes, master's finger was so close it brushed his eye lashes "And I trained you to do what I say. I can easily take it all back and find another halfwit to do it in your stead, you were nothing and you still are nothing will change that."

Masters finger got closer and touched his eyeball causing it to burn but Naruto refused to do anything forcing himself to withstand the pain. This was his punishment after all for forgetting his place in this world he was trash and he knew it now.

"Apologies masters, I didn't think about what I said," Naruto said through gritted teeth which seemed to satisfy them and master Madara withdrew his finger and stood up to his full height.

"Do not forget what you learned today," Zetsu said with his playful and easygoing voice then the two were sucked up my master Madara's eye their usual mode of transportation when they needed to be stealthy.

"I am nothing," Naruto whispered to himself a lone tear fell from his eyes as the pain of his skull returned. He then let darkness consume him as he fell into a deep sleep, the pain subsiding as the beast's chakra healed him.

'_What a sad way to live,' a loud voice deep within Naruto rumbled as the fox stirred in his cage 'when the hatred you feel is too much I'll be here waiting.'_

**There is the new chapter I hope you like it; this one is kind of dark and I thought it shows the reason behind his unyielding loyalty towards his masters. He was raised by them and they are all he knows; I will attempt to make all the chapters roughly 3000 words long hope you enjoyed and continue to read the story.**

**David out **


	4. Difficult Decisions

**Difficult Decisions**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

"Naruto can you hold on a second," Iruka sensei said. It had been a week after his masters had shown up, and things seemed to get worse with the villagers as days went on. His ANBU guardians never knew of their presence making him wonder why they were there in the first place.

"What is it sensei?" Naruto asked as he walked towards the teacher's desk.

"Naruto I've noticed that you have managed to catch up and are doing pretty well in the classes," Iruka sensei said thinking to himself "so it also makes me wonder if you're holding back and not showing your true potential."

"I have no potential," Naruto responded as he thought back at his master's painful reminder of what he was "I am nothing." The last part was nothing but a whisper, but the sensei heard him but decided against saying anything.

"Well I think that if the Hokage thinks highly of you he must be right, I just want to see how strong you really are," the look in his eyes made it look like he actually cared about him and what he was hiding "come on lets go outside."

They walked in silence towards the usual training ground where most of the test are done, some straw dummies where set out. Today was a Friday and everyone had left for the weekend, so they were the only ones left with the exception of a few of the academy's administrators and some other sensei.

"Well I want to know how strong you really are Naruto," Iruka said pointing at the dummy "come on you keep hitting the same spot on the logs with your shuriken and there's no way that you've been missing the bullseye so many times."

"Why does it matter?" Naruto responded with exasperation.

"Well it would be easier to know what you actually need help on, and it would make it easier for me to teach you," he said in a pensive manner "and I'm sure you have some amazing jutsu hidden up your sleeve."

"What do you want to see?" Naruto asked giving up.

"Good first show me how good you are with your shuriken," he responded excitedly to see Naruto's true skills.

Naruto quickly pulled out some shuriken and threw them at the dummy target hitting every target with perfect accuracy. Iruka sensei didn't look pleased, as if he knew he was holding back still.

"Come on I know you can do better than that," he said looking displeased.

"My skills are more combat oriented, and I can't really do that to this dummy," Naruto said hoping that would make him back of him.

"So, you could do that to an actual opponent," a voice said from behind him making him turn around to see the ANBU guards looking at him.

"You have two possible targets here."

"I don't want to hurt you guys," Naruto said putting his hands behind his head "and if I did hurt you the rumors of e will just spread."

"Do you really think you can hurt us?" the silver haired on said before rushing forward with a kunai drawn and within seconds, he was pressing the knife against Naruto's throat who remained unmoving. Iruka sensei looked from a far unsure of what to do, but he assumed that since they were his guards, they wouldn't kill him.

"I did warn you," Naruto said of to their left as the Naruto being held at knife point disappeared in an explosion of wind sending powerful wind waves that cut and dissipated the shadow clone of the ANBU.

"Wind clone with an explosion, eh?" The ANBU asked a couple of feet from where the real Naruto stood "I have a similar technique but with my lightning."

"Wow Naruto you're a wind style user, that's super rare in Konoha," Iruka sensei said from the sidelines.

Naruto was currently standing directly Infront of his ANBU opponent and looking past him to see if the other one would attack.

"I won't interfere," the other ANBU member said almost as if reading his mind.

Naruto drew his wakizashi blade that had been returned to him after it was taken from him during his attack on the Hokage. Naruto needed time to think he didn't necessarily know about the skills of his opponent and he didn't have the element of surprise he often relied on. However, he didn't get the time as his masked opponent rushed him kunai at hand, thinking quickly he sucked in some air.

"Wind style: wind needles," Naruto said releasing pressurized air in the shape of needles towards his opponent and focused on the right side of his opponent forcing him to dodge left. Naruto used this to swing using his whole body's momentum to swing the blade towards his opponent. The silver haired man knew of the set up and easily blocked it, but Naruto had other plans.

He quickly released the blade as it made contact and spun again now standing behind his opponent and thrusted and open palm "wind style: wind gale palm." His opponent got sent flying crashing into a tree and transforming into a tree stump.

'_a substitution,' Naruto said frustrated that he didn't see when it happened not even with his sharingan_ 'my timing was perfect how did he do it.'

Naruto quickly picked up his blade and prepared looking around for his opponent who seemed to have disappeared. He tried using all his senses and couldn't see, smell or hear anything but then he felt it, the ground beneath his seemed to shift and he quickly jumped into the air narrowly missing the two hands that attempted to grab his feet. Naruto managed to get a few feet away as his opponent emerged from the ground. Quickly he charged and was met halfway both clashing in a continued dance of sparks.

Naruto's frustration was growing as his opponent matched and returned all of his attacks, and Naruto couldn't seem to land a single blow. Naruto saw an opening and lunged wildly anger fueling him, only to miss and get kicked hard on the chest sending him back a few feet. Before he came to a stop he did a backflips using it as an opportunity to throw three kunai, two of which were deflected and the third one was caught between his opponents index and middle finger.

Thankful for the separation he surveyed himself noticing several open cuts that were deep enough to bleed but nothing that would hinder his movements. He looked up at his opponent was disappointed to see that he looked perfectly fine except for small smudges of dirt that covered his uniform.

'_this guy is good its time for me to step up my game,' Naruto thought._

He quickly grabbed some small paper bombs he had created himself, probably twenty of them and threw them in the air in front of him. Using his chakra, he controlled the paper bombs and made them fold into butterflies and used his wind nature to make them fly towards his opponent.

"Butterfly exploding tag jutsu," Naruto said as the butterflies made their way towards his opponent who seemed to be surprised at his use of chakra control. Naruto lost vision with his opponent as the explosive tags began their attack, some of them were just loaded with power to create a dark cloud he often used as a smoke screen to escape or prepare for his next assault.

Once the explosions stopped and the smoke cleared, he saw a small earth dome that most likely protected his opponent. He quickly sucked in some air and prepared for his next assault; his opponent was though no doubt about it.

"Wind style: exploding wind bullets," with quick succession he released the bullets showering the earth dome with bullets. Whenever the bullets made contact with the dome, they exploded in gust of pressurized air making large hole in the earth dome.

'_If I can't get him with my kenjustsu I'm sure my ninjutsu should be able to do the trick,' Naruto thought._

"With your current skill level you should already be a genin, in all the villages standards," the ANBU man said once more crawling from the ground "And maybe a chunin if you showed us your true potential, I can tell there's more in that head of yours."

"Shut up how is it that I can't even put a scratch on you," Naruto said angrily debating whether to show his other chakra natures he had learned.

"Well for starters you look like you have barely used any of your chakra," the ANBU said dusting himself off "which means you are not giving it your all, and idk how you thought you could defeat me without using all of your skills."

"I think that's enough," an old voice said drawing their attention towards the old man next to Iruka sensei. When had he arrived no one knew he had sneaked up on them and he wasn't along, plenty of the ANBU stood around with a couple of the elite jonin. The look on both his classroom sensei and the third Hokage confused them.

"What are you all doing here?" Naruto asked angrily without any regard of who he was speaking with.

"That's no way to address the Hokage," Iruka sensei said looking at him angrily.

"We heard the commotion and we couldn't help but see if there was something wrong going on," one of the elite ninja wearing a tight green spandex bodysuit under his green Konoha vest said "And I'm glad I was able to see the great spirit of youth our new academy students have."

"Are you kidding Guy?" Inoichi said looking rather angrily "This kid is a menace; he's clearly hiding his true skill and his intentions."

Many of the ninja gathered seemed to agree and look at him with disapproval at him something that annoyed him. Sure, he was spying on them, so it was fair of them to peg him to be the bad guy but nothing he had gathered had seemed to have affected them yet.

"Yes, and he's the tailed beast that attacked the village," another ninja chimed in.

"Come on he's just a kid," a young looking kunoichi with red eyes he had identified as Kurenai Yuhi said.

Many voiced their disapproval and the arguing seemed to go on forever, something that seemed to anger the third Hokage, and confuse his sensei.

"Regardless of what is inside of him he is still just a child, he has done nothing wrong," the third Hokage said "he is simply an orphaned boy, one that this village has failed. You few elite ninjas know that he is the legacy that the fourth Hokage left behind, he who sacrificed everything for this village."

This was all going over his head he was just ready to leave his wounds where already healing but he was beginning to feel the fatigue of his fight. He had used a lot of chakra trying to land a blow, and failed and he was just tiered and defeated, while a bunch of adults just argued.

"Can I get my punishment over with so I can go home now I'm tired," Naruto said loud enough for everyone to hear over the loud arguing.

This caused everyone to look at him, this made him nervous for some reason, sure he had plenty of eyes on him all the time as he went to and from school. But with all these elite ninjas staring with mixed emotions made him nervous.

"Yes Naruto go home and rest," Iruka sensei said approaching him and patted him on the back something that made him flinch involuntarily but the pain never came "you did amazing I'm sure you'll make a splendid shinobi see you after the weekend."

The ninja seemed to stare daggers at the chunin for dismissing the demon fox kid without the conclusion of their argument or the approval of the Hokage. But the Hokage seemed to be okay with it so no one argued it.

"Wait what about the punishment?" Naruto asked feeling confused. Then it was the adults time to be confused.

"What punishment Naruto?" Iruka asked concerned.

"Well I was unable to defeat my opponent, so I failed," Naruto said as if it were completely obvious "is it going to be later?"

This seemed to sadden a lot of the ninja, who knows what kind of childhood he had been living before he came to Konoha.

"No Naruto you can go ahead and go home there will be no punishment," the third Hokage said.

Dropping the matter but keeping his wits about it he turned around and left going through the main building to the academy. He heard the other ninja get dismissed and the steps of his guardian ANBU right behind him, he was dead tiered all he could think about was resting.

Unknown to the other ninja there was a student that had witnessed everything that unfolded that afternoon, from the amazing skills that Naruto displayed to the angry discussion between the elite ninja of Konoha.

Kakashi's POV

After His duel with Naruto they all walked back together to avoid any problems with the villagers, he still couldn't believe that they would do such a thing to a child. Kakashi hated that his orders where for him to interfere as little as possible with Naruto's life only time were when it was a life or death situation. After they had arrived without incident to his apartment, he was summoned by the third Hokage, which he expected after the way things ended with Naruto's duel.

As he made his way towards the Hokage's tower he couldn't help but think back at the duel, the wind style techniques he was using where quite advanced and his fighting style wasn't bad. It was obvious he had been trained by a powerful ninja. As he arrived, he noticed he wasn't the only one to be summoned as Iruka stood in front of the Hokage's desk.

"Good you two are here," the Hokage spoke looking displeased with the current situation "there's something you need to know about Naruto, Iruka."

"What is it lord third?" Iruka asked impatiently.

"There is much that we don't know about Naruto and where he has been for the past ten years," the third Hokage said "he is the son of the fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."

These seemed to be news to Iruka as he looked taken aback, his eyes looking confused as he thought on this hard.

"But if he is the son of the Hokage then that means," Iruka said putting the pieces together.

"Yes Iruka, he is the vessel of the nine tailed fox," Kakashi answered for him "does that change anything?"

"It changes a few things, Naruto is not a normal student," Iruka said attempting to keep a stoic face.

"It isn't Naruto's fault that your parents are death Iruka," the Hokage said looking sadly at Iruka "he's as much a victim as you are, he never chose any of it, but he's got a difficult path ahead of him."

"I get it lord third," Iruka responded through gritted teeth tears forming at his eyes as he remembered the painful memories of ten years ago.

"Naruto's future is in our hands now, we must be there for him and fill in the gaps that have been left by his previous master or masters," the old man said sadly "while there are many that see him as a threat to the village, we need to keep him safe and we need to find a way to change people's minds."

"What is it that we can do?" Kakashi asked wanting to make sure he doesn't fail his sensei a second time.

"First he needs to graduate properly from the academy just like Minato would have wanted and while many of the children already refuse to talk to him because of the influence that their parents impose on them he needs to make allies," the Hokage said "or else hell never get over what he's live through, you guys heard him earlier asking for punishment for his failure, the way he's been raised is similar of that of an animal."

"While that might be true, he is very intelligent as well as skilled," Iruka added in "he seems to underperform just enough to not draw attention to himself, but enough for it to be noticed by us and the teachers. That is why I attempted to draw out his full potential with the help of Kakashi."

"Yes Kakashi," he said thoughtful "you are far too invested in this and I feel this might not be good for Naruto's development. Trust me I know more than anyone how much you want to help him and how much you feel like you failed him before."

Kakashi's thought drifted to the years he spent searching for him and how time and time again he failed to find him. The pain of how he felt as he saw everything taken from him and how powerless he was before, but not anymore.

"Lord Hokage are you certain that it is the best course of action?" Kakashi asked.

"Yes, Kakashi I believe the best we can do is observe and help whenever we are really needed," the third Hokage said "he can't know that he has a safety net he has to believe that he is in better hands than before, but he will not accept any help if he thinks we pity him."

"Then I'll just have to leave it to you Iruka," Kakashi said looking defeated and made his way to leave but stopped at the door "are we sure he's not just staying here under the orders of his master or whoever trained him."

"We just have to trust that he will do the right thing when the time is right," Kakashi nodded and left the Hokage's office to return to his post as the guardian of the tailed beast.

**So, hey guys hope you guys liked this chapter if you did let me know in the reviews. I tried to add a little action in to display the basic abilities that Naruto has.**

**David out.**


	5. New Light

**New Light **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

"Why don't we start with some regular taijutsu," Iruka sensei making the whole class groan "come one you guys only have one whole year left before you guys become genin."

They all followed the sensei outside; everyone was excited to learn new stuff that could help them in the real world as a genin. Everyone except Naruto, everything that they were currently earning was basics and he had learned it all from his masters.

"We will practice in groups of three today, because that's what genin team comprise off," Iruka sensei said, "and you guys need to learn how to work together."

'_Well that's new,' Naruto thought 'but still its not like it'll actually be interesting'._

"Now everyone get in a three-man squad," Iruka sensei said clapping his hands to get everyone's attention.

"Sasuke come with me we would make the best squad," Naruto heard Ino yelling at Sasuke while pulling his arm.

"NO! Sasuke is coming with me," A pink haired girl said pulling at his other arm "Let him alone Ino-pig."

"No, you let go, forehead brow."

"Naruto, Sauske you two will be pairing up together since the class is uneven," Iruka sensei said.

Sasuke glared at Naruto, and Naruto returned it, but it wasn't noticeable since he had his bandages over his eyes. Once everyone got in groups Iruka got in the center ring and waited for the first group to enter and fight him.

'_This is also new, it was very rare when we got to face him,' Naruto thought 'this might have something to do with the events of a few days ago'._

"Naruto's team up first," Iruka said causing Sasuke to glare at him again, he obviously didn't like being called Naruto's team.

Naruto quickly drew his sword and stabbed it in the ground before entering the combat ring followed closely by Sasuke.

"Don't slow me down," Sasuke said with a haughty expression.

"You're the one that needs to keep up," Naruto retorted.

"Now make the seal of confrontation," all three of them made the sign bringing the two fingers up to their face. And with that both Naruto and Sasuke rushed without a second word each of them going their separate ways in a pincer attack. Sasuke was the first one to reach Iruka sensei and did a wild hook throwing all his momentum forward and used a hand to catch his body and swung his body to do a high kick.

Their opponent quickly blocked the kick and swiped Sasuke's hands from under him causing him to fall and roll. And just as he rolled over Naruto jumped over him with his legs extended aiming to land a kick but got blocked by Iruka's crossed arms. With quick succession he threw a few more kicks and swipes, however none of them landed, and all got blocked.

'_While my ninjutsu and kenjutsu were above average, his taijutsu was below average,' Naruto growled to himself._

Naruto quickly retreated and allowed Sasuke to take his turn at their sensei while Naruto thought of a strategy. One on one against their sensei wasn't ideal, he was far more experienced and was better than both. As Sasuke got kicked back Naruto grabbed his hand and threw him at their sensei, while simultaneously rushing at him. Naruto quickly dove at Iruka's feet making him jump to avoid him but got hit by Sasuke's flying form, but as they collided Iruka sensei exploded into a puff of smoke and got replaced by a tree stump.

"Both of your taijutsu independently isn't bad, your teamwork needs some help," Iruka sensei said, "And although I don't approve of you using your teammates like that quick thinking."

"But were not really a team," Sasuke grumbled.

"Next team up," Iruka sensei said, making another group step up.

Naruto quickly looked over towards the side of the sparring field and saw that some of the passing ninja glared at him. They still hated him and their suspicions of him weren't gone after they saw him fighting his ANBU guardians. They knew that he was holding back and that he wasn't telling them the whole truth about himself.

After class like always the ANBU guardians would take him to the training field, where he'd receive special instruction from Iruka sensei. Something he never understood why he cared, why did he care and why did he want to make him stronger. If he knew what I was or what my mission was he wouldn't waste his time or even care.

"What are we working on today?" Naruto asked looking bored.

"You need to work on your taijutsu, earlier you seemed to be having some trouble earlier," Iruka sensei said, "And I'm not even that good at taijutsu, I'm sure you're better at kenjutsu but still."

"Iruka why do you care?" Naruto asked with annoyance.

"It's Iruka sensei to you!" Responded back furiously.

"Whatever why do you care?"

"What? Again, with this question? I thought I told you already I care about your development because the Hokage things you're quite special," he responded as a matter of fact.

"So, if it's only because of the Hokage then you should just drop it," Naruto said starting to walk away only to be stopped by a seal placed on the ground stopping him in place.

"We haven't even started fool," Iruka sensei said making him turn around "like I said we will be working on you taijutsu." With that he launched himself forward at breakneck speed.

'_I guess actually going to force me to fight him,' Naruto thought 'well let me use my full strength.' _

While Iruka sensei's speed was impressive his sharingan was more than capable to keeping up. Naruto easily dodged a downward kick by spinning towards his right. He used that momentum to perform a spinning kick aimed mid center, hoping that aiming at a larger area would provide a higher success rate. However, he still missed as his opponent easily batter his kick away and performed an open palm strike at his chest with enough force to send him backwards several meters.

"Is that all you have?" Iruka sensei asked looking down at him.

Naruto Growled and rushed his sensei, making his hand into a knife and aiming to strike at his throat, but missed. He quickly planted his feet and aimed a backhanded strike but was blocked by a single arm, but Naruto didn't stop there snacking his arm and striking the inside of the elbow folding his opponents' arm. This gave him the momentum and opportunity to aim an elbow towards his opponent's stomach but got blocked by Iruka's free hand.

"That's better but still," Iruka said struggling to push him off, but now that Naruto had separation, he aimed a kick at the inside of Iruka's leg. However, Iruka quickly used his legs to jump backwards performing a backflip and kicking Naruto in the chest, again sending him a few meters back.

"Again!" Iruka Sensei yelled.

"Iruka really went overboard," Naruto said to himself examining his bruises that seemed to be healing already. Man, if it wasn't for the fox's chakra the bruises would last longer, and he wouldn't be able to last as long using his sharingan as they drain too much chakra for anyone other than an Uchiha.

"Naruto," a small voice said making him turn around to face a short haired grey eyed girl. She stood a couple feet to his left at the entrance of a food stand, wearing her usual tan colored hooded jacket with the fire symbol of her clan on her shoulders.

"What is it Hinata?" Naruto quickly asked looking around hopping none of her bodyguards would be too close.

"Here it's a simple thank you for protecting me last time at the square," she said shily "I don't think you're what they were calling you, you seem like a nice person but I've been warned against spending time with you."

"It's okay they were throwing rocks at me and you got caught in the cross fire," Naruto said trying to end the conversation as soon as possible "And I really don't care if you get to hang out with me or not, I'm fine by myself."

"Wait," she called out, but Naruto was already walking away heading home, when hunger hit him, so he decided against it and headed towards the one place he knew he'd be accepted well.

"Welcome," he was greeted as soon as he entered the warmth of the infamous ramen place, he quickly sat at the bar and instantly got recognized by the cook and owner.

"AHH, Naruto you're here again?" the old man said with a friendly smile making the waitress nearby Ayame turn looking for Naruto.

"Naruto, its good to see you again," She said with a genuine smile, something seemed to stir within him like getting praised for completing a mission by his masters.

"Same as always," Naruto said, and the cook and waitress smiled at him.

"It'll be right up," they both said at the same time.

"Naruto? Is that you?" the voice of someone he didn't want to hear asked from the front entrance. This made him groan internally knowing she was probably still angry at the fact he had used Sasuke in such an underhanded manner.

"It is Naruto," he heard another familiar voice say. He simply turned around to see the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.

"Oh, it's you guys what are you doing here?" Naruto asked turning back to his original position as the three took seats next to him. Shikamaru and Choji on his right while Ino sat on his left bot quickly got their menu and Ayame quickly came over to take their order.

"You look like you been training," Ino said as a matter of fact looking down at his clothes.

"Same goes for you guys, looks like you guys got beaten up badly," Naruto said as he received his bowl of ramen from the old man "Thank you."

"Well once in a while our parents make us train together as they believe that we will be the next generation of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio," Shikamaru said.

"Yeah I heard that your parents are a very effective team," Naruto said taking a break from his ramen "so, you guys are also going to be on a team when you become genin?"

"Well its not decided yet, but I'm sure that they will put us in the same squad," Choji said.

"Well see you guys later I need to head home now," Naruto said getting up and placing his money on the bar counter and headed towards the door.

"Naruto wait," Ino said getting up and holding him by the back of the shirt "why don't we walk back together I'm not eating, and I don't want you to walk home alone."

"I'll be alright," he responded, "I don't need you to walk me back, I'll be alright."

"I saw what the villagers did to you at the square," Ino said looking at him expectantly "plus how do you expect to be good wit0h girls if you never talk to one."

"You saw that?" Naruto asked with a snarl on his face, the memory coming back to him.

"Well let's go it's getting late," Ino said walking outside before Naruto, and pulled him by the sleeve.

"Whatever, let's go," Naruto said starting to make his way towards his apartment only to get pulled in the other direction.

"My place is that way," Ino said pulling at his sleeve.

"Why do I have to walk you to your place first?" Naruto asked, "You know your father hates me, right?"

"Yeah, I know that, he's also the one that told me not to hang out with you," Ino said still trying to pull him towards her place "but I am a strong, independent kunoichi or will be soon, and that means I need to learn how to make my own decisions."

"Fine," Naruto said exasperatedly "but I'm turning back as soon as we can see you house."

This made Ino yell out in triumph as they started to make their way towards her place. Naruto tried to stay a few steps behind her, but she didn't seem to like that as she kept slowing her pace to match his.

"Come on Naruto talk to me," Ino said pulling him forward so now they are shoulder to shoulder "I want to know why people hate you, especially my dad."

"The hell if I know, I just got here a month ago," Naruto said shrugging his shoulders.

"Well I'm just trying to help," Ino responded.

"Whatever, why do you care?" Naruto asked.

"Well its because were friends of course," She answered with a genuine smile on her lips, "And you do what you can to help your friends out don't you."

"Were friends?"

"Yes, we are," Ino responded with a pout on her face, and proceeded to punch him playfully in the arm "of course my dad has told me to stay away from you and that you're dangerous, but I just don't see it."

'_Friends huh,' Naruto thought to himself 'what even is a friend, I've been giving their information about them since he got to Konoha. And if they found out they would be furious and most likely ready to kill him for reals.'_

"Any way I can see my house from here," Ino said drawing him away from his thought "Thank you for walking me back, see you tomorrow in class."

Naruto just stood there watching the retreating form of that blond Yamanaka girl. Not just any Yamanaka, his friend. With a smile on his face he turned around and headed home and for some reason his smile faltered.

'_Friend, what does it even mean to be a friend,' Naruto mused 'do friends give other people their friends secrets, no they didn't, but I guess I'm not their friend, this is annoying.'_

'_What a piece of trash you are,' the rumbling deep voice of the fox said, 'using the people that actually care for you, even I am not so evil.'_

'_Shut up you stupid fox,' Naruto responded anger rising within him 'the villagers wouldn't hate me if it wasn't for you.'_

'_Come on you're the one that attempted to kill the Hokage, and you're the one spying on the village that cold be your home,' the fox chuckled as he baited Naruto "what does that say about the legacy of your parents, making their sacrifice meaningless.'_

'_Well whatever their sacrifice it already was in vain,' Naruto said, 'because I'm nothing but a loyal servant.'_

'_If that's what you chose to be,' and with that the demon fox settled down 'If we could only remove these memory seals, I could show you the truth.'_

"Shut up," Naruto yelled out loud unknown to him.

"What you say, punk?" the one person who he wished to avoid the most stood there looking at him with hatred and disgust, with two other ninjas to his back.

"Nothing," Naruto said trying make his way through them to leave.

"I want you to stay away from my daughter," Inoichi said to Naruto's retreating form "you hear me?"

"It is she that needs to stay away from me," Naruto returned starting to run to his place with the same speed that his mind was running through. Conflicting thoughts made him feel like he didn't know anything, what was this feeling, he hated the kindness people showed him. And understood the feelings of hatred and resentment that others showed him.

As Naruto ran towards his home his heart racing and unable to understand the feelings building within himself a tear leaked from his eye. Not one of pain, because he had felt way too much pain to ever mistake it, but of confusion this feeling of not knowing where he belonged. This feeling of being torn apart he felt like he wanted to belong to the people that seemed to care about him, but his duty to his masters seemed to pull just as hard.

Then he stood outside his door dreading that his masters would be at his place, tentatively he gripped the doorknob and twisted it. The door opened and the lights from outside seemed to flood the empty dark place like a dam being broken down flooding a barren field. Slowly he stepped inside and allowed himself to see his place illuminated by the outside light and how different it looked.

But then like all good things it had to end, and the door closed behind him the darkness again closing in around him leaving him in the same spot he started. With a swift tug he pulled the bandages around his eyes and allowed the soft glow of his sharingan illuminate the darkness with a horrible red glow.

**Hello guy that's another chapter hope you like it, I know it feels like this story is progressing slower than it probably should but I'm trying to truly demonstrate Naruto's feelings of confusion and how he's trying to understand the new world around him. Let me know what you thought about this chapter.**

**David out. **


	6. Turning A New Leaf

**Turning a New Leaf **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

Naruto's POV

"Get up!" his fighting instructor yelled at him as he rushed him once more "You can't beat anyone if you're on the ground."

Naruto got up knowing that it would be worse if he didn't, his current instructor seemed to careless if he learned anything, but more about how much he could beat him.

"Is taking a beating all, you know?" the same man asked, throwing a succession of swift strikes all that landed all over his body followed by a strong kick to his chest. Naruto rolled a few feet away and pushed his body upright using his arms.

After gaining his footing he rushed his opponent and threw a few shuriken as a distraction. Naruto's shurikens were easily blocked but served his purpose as it allowed him to close in, using his left hand he swiped at his opponent's neck. However, he easily dodged and forced Naruto to use his legs to sweep at his opponent feet, but with a quick backflip his attack was avoided. Not wanting to let his small advantage slip he rushed his opponent and took a couple of swings aiming at his opponents face but all of his strikes were blocked.

"You won't get me with those basic moves," his opponent responded and pushed back returning all of Naruto's strikes, drawing blood as his fist connected with his stomach.

"Fuck," Naruto grunted out as he fell to the floor blood dripping of the corner of his lips, and his body hit the floor "why can't I even touch anymore."

"Well it's been six months, and I've only pushed you harder and harder," the silver haired ANBU said as he readied himself for another round.

"Have I even improved?" Naruto asked struggling to get into his fighting stance "I mean t just feels like I'm getting farther and farther away."

"You are improving, but like I said I cant keep letting you ease up," he said rushing Naruto, but his reflexes saved him as he moved his head a few inches to his left and used his leg and aimed for his opponents neck.

It had been roughly six months since he had taken his training more serious than ever before and day after day, he got his ass beat by his ANBU guardians to get stronger. His whole body was always so sore and if it wasn't for his advanced healing, he'd be dead from exhaustion and he wouldn't have been able to keep up.

"I guess I should be thankful to you, Kakashi Hakate," Naruto noticed the hesitation of his opponents as he rushed again and finally landing a blow with his open palm aimed at his opponent's sternum. As his opponent rolled back several feet, he noticed his opponents partner stand up in surprise as he finally got the upper hand. As his opponent's body came to a stop his dog mask fell of revealing his one glowing sharingan and face mask covering his mouth.

"Who told you my name?" Kakashi asked rising to his feet staring at him with a stoic face.

"Why does it matter?" Naruto said holding his left arm "I just made the connection myself no one had to tell me about it."

"So why bring it up now," Kakashi asked annoyance starting to take over his face.

"Well I just thought I'd earned myself a victory," Naruto responded looking triumphant "Plus you've seen my eyes I needed to see yours."

"Well then, I guess we'll call it quits for today," Kakashi said reaching for his mask and placing it over his face once more "I won't let you get lucky again so enjoy today off."

"Well thank you sensei," Naruto said mockingly quickly gathering his stuff and running towards his favorite spot after a hard day of training.

"Welcome Naruto," Ayame greeted as she saw him enter and sit in the counter "I see you just finished training today, will you have the usual?"

"Yes, to both," Naruto said trying to be as friendly as he could, after all this was one of the few places were people didn't try to bully or fight him.

"Why am I not surprised that you're here," a familiar voice said from behind him as he received his bowl of ramen the aroma overpowering his senses. He turned when he felt someone take the seat next to him and saw the blond long hair of his classmate.

"Ino what are you doing here?" Naruto asked knowing full well she wasn't a big fan of ramen.

"Well it was starting to get late and I hoped you could walk me home again," She said attempting to use her puppy dog eyes to convince him to take her something that would always work "why is it that you're always staying out late."

"Well it just that since were getting closer and closer to the graduation our parents have us train together like always," She said in her usual monotone way as she played with her hair.

"Well I guess I do have to take you home then," He said finishing the last of his broth and setting the plate down with his chopsticks sideway on top of the plate, "Thank you have a good night."

"Well like always just take me to the corner," she said a big smile plastered on her face her sea blue eyes looking brighter than ever "so what did you learn today?"

"I just keep learning how to get my ass kicked like the rest of the days," Naruto said feeling comfortable along side one of his few remaining friends. They had done this plenty of times over the past couple of months and he genuinely enjoyed this it made him feel like his decision was the right one.

"Naruto, can we go to the detour today?" She asked carefully.

"Idk, I'm very tiered and todays duel didn't exactly go as planned, and you know he'll be there," Naruto said trying to justify not going through the detour, but it didn't seem to be working for him "fine, well go see your mopey boy."

"Whatever maybe you weren't so rude to everyone in class you'd be more popular with the girls," She responded holding and pulling his arm towards the detour.

"You know better than anyone that the way I act doesn't have anything to do with the way people act around me," Naruto responded annoyed that everyone blamed him "Plus he's more rude ignoring everyone's compliments and comments."

"He doesn't ignore it he's just very selective at what he hears," she said pulling him by the ear as they made their way by the river "plus its not his fault he's just not good with emotions you know."

"Yeah I can understand that," Naruto said under his breath as he forced himself to let it go knowing she'd never understand "well there he is, looking all depressed as always."

"Sasuke!" she yelled loud as possible, of course he just ignored her and kept his eyes on the water "how are you doing, I hope you're not beating yourself up too much."

"He doesn't care," Naruto said trying to get out of there as soon as possible "let's go."

"Yeah okay well see you at school," she said looking dejectedly and making her way back to the road next to him. And they walked together in silence something that annoyed him, he didn't know what his problem was.

"Here is where I leave you," Naruto said clearly shaking Ino awake from her little daze "Ino we're her at the corner."

"Oh yeah," she said looking up down the street "Naruto, do you think I'm annoying?"

"What kind of question is that," he asked her, his face was dead serious before a huge smile made its way towards his face "of course you are, you have me walking you home almost every day."

Her face seemed to fall not knowing whether he was joking or not, but his smile gave him away and he quickly grabbed the bangs covering her eye forcing her to look up at him her eyes watering.

"Aww, come on you know I'm just kidding," he said looking at her with a mischievous smile "now go home and get ready for tomorrow so you can try again with your soon to be boyfriend."

She seemed to smile brightly at him and made sure that he knew that she was okay now, and she ran towards her place stopping short at the door.

"Naruto!" she yelled making him turn around "Thank you, see you tomorrow!"

Naruto chuckled to himself but before he could make his way home, he heard it the sudden appearance of master Zetsu, and looked down to see master Zetsu's head and plant like aspect protruding from the ground by the shadows.

"You seem to be getting chummy with that girl, it'd be a shame if someone were to snap her pretty little neck," his white personality speaking in a playful tone yet calculating look "make sure your guards don't follow us, but we need to meet up by the east gate."

"I'll meet you guys there but don't bring her into this please, " Naruto said quickly hiding in the shadows and making a wind clone "make your way home and ensure that the ANBU guards follow you, however be alert I might use you as a way to send back up."

"Yes sir," the clone said before making his way back home in the most predictable manner possible to attract the attention of the guards following him. Naruto quickly scanned the area and saw that his guards left with his clone.

Over the last six months he had made up his mind to abandon it all the village, his masters and their plans for world domination or something. But he needed time to get stronger and be able to get away and keep them away, but he might have to rush it all and leave but was he ready.

"Good," Naruto said and made his way to the east gate past the Yamanaka Flower shop and sent a fleeting glance. He was never allowed close to the shop, and now he might never get the opportunity to step inside and see the flowers Ino would always be on about. He quickly made his way towards the gate and saw that three of the guards where dead with what seemed to be tree branches that protruded from within them, blood and entrails appeared to have exploded dripping of the branches

"Come here boy," Master Madara called from on of the side of the gate, and as soon as he crossed the gates, he noticed that his master had moved farther away, and he continued to move. Naruto jumped towards a tree and kept pace with his masters "we need to go, there has been a change of our plans so say goodbye to the hidden leaf."

"But what about the spying on the Hokage? I have been doing a good job have I not?" Naruto asked scared that he had displeased his masters but maybe he could delay their judgement "plus I'm not sure that I can just leave, they will follow us, wouldn't it be better to wait."

"What did you just say?" Master Madara asked the single whole in his masked glowed a dangerous red "are you trying to start something?"

Naruto backed up against a tree trunk as he noticed his master erect a metal rod from the palm of his hand and stalk towards him. Naruto's short-lived enjoyment in the village flashed trough his eyes as he realized he'd angered his masters for the last time.

"Master I was just trying to be helpful," Naruto responded falling to his knees pleadingly, hoping he won't end his life.

"Why are you so weak minded, you where our best pawn" Master Zetsu said with his more serious tone, as he quickly picked him up by the back of his neck and made him face him "did you get comfortable in the little village, maybe if we got rid of that little girl for you it would be easier to move don't you think?"

"What is this about a girl? Well I guess we just need to take those eyes back and find a suitable replacement for the Nine tails jinchuriki," Master Madara said stalking towards him and pulled his bandages revealing his glowing eyes, the eyes that didn't belong to him had never seen more clear "Now give me these eyes back, someone went through a lot of trouble to retrieve these for me."

It was now or never he needed to make his choice, focusing his chakra he prepared to launch a wind bullet. The sound of a small branch drew all their attention towards the tree line towards their left and Naruto's eyes widened with fear as he realized who was there. But before he could do anything, he was shoved against a tree that swallowed half of him and held him firmly in place and Master Zetsu melted into the ground. A feminine yelp could be heard, and he watched with his sharingan as Master Zetsu had grabbed a hold of Ino by the mouth and held her up. She was struggling with everything she had her legs and arms swinging trying to hit Zetsu.

"Let her go," Naruto growled his anger rising, he felt it the voice from within, like a spark being stroked by a stick "If you let her go she will not say anything if you spare her, and I will not fight back."

"So, you were planning on fighting us? Do you hear that?" Master Madara said looking between the two of them "well we can now dispose of both of them, and since were disposing of trash we could make it look like he did it."

"Well let's get on with it," white Zetsu said quickly producing a kunai within his sleeve and holding it against Ino's throat. Something rose from with in Naruto an anger he'd never felt before and before he knew it, he was free of the tree splinters flying everywhere, the tree nowhere to be seen. Zetsu dropped his knife in startlement and looked at Naruto in fear and astonishment.

"OH, so that's the tailed beast cloak," his childish side clearly amazed by what power of the nine tails could do.

Naruto's whole body was in pain it was as if his blood was boiling, his fangs had grown sharper and the same with his whiskers getting thicker and longer. His vision seemed to be blurring at the sides and turning orange, the same color as the chakra that now surrounded him. His fingernails where now replaced with long claws and the pain was way to much for him to handle. He was bent over as he felt the overwhelming pain and pressure as a cloak of orange chakra formed around him, and a tail grew from the back of his cloak.

'_Yes, give in to your hatred and let me help you,' the rumbling voice from deep within his said pulling him towards the darkness 'I'll eliminate your enemies for you, just let me go free.'_

"No," Naruto responded through grinding teeth out loud "this is my body and I am in control."

His vision went red for a second and the next thing he saw, was the contorted look of pain in Zetsu's face. Naruto's right hand was buried wrist deep into his stomach and his hand was covered in a green and black liquid. Ino was now safely in his left hand being covered protectively by his chakra cloak, or should he say the tailed beast chakra cloak. He now looked around to see that he was now surrounded by a large group of white Zetsus, he immediately grabbed his ex-master and hurled him with as much force as he could.

Naruto rushed at Madara ignoring the Zetsu clones. The power of the cloak gave him such a power boost that created a crater where he stood previously from the force of his push. Naruto's claws swiped at Madara each strike just making its way through his target but no damage. But with a powerful kick Naruto was sent back a few feet, and he quickly noticed the unconscious form of Ino in his arms. The look of Ino's fragile form made him waver, he had the speed and strength to make t back to the village and warn someone.

"You really think you could beat me?" Madara asked causing Naruto's anger to rise again all thoughts of a retreat plan gone now. This time it was Madara who rushed him and connected a direct hit to Naruto's head with a back hand with enough force to send him rolling, and Naruto had to use both hands to hold Ino from getting hurt. The ground was now scared with the trail that his body left behind, and when Naruto's roll came to a stop, he was on all fours and anger rising far above anything he'd ever felt before and a loud roar escaped his mouth. The sound of his roar seemed to be a mix of his angered voice and that of a wild animal.

"Naruto," a weak voice spoke, and he bared his fangs towards the voice and saw a weakened Ino as her hand reached for his face trying to caress him. She quickly retracted her hand as the heat of his skin burned the palm of her hand. His boiling skin caused a deep burn on Ino's palm.

"Just wait here," Naruto said through grunted teeth.

With another roar he felt more power rush from the pit of his stomach, and two more tails appeared on his cloak and now he felt the reins slipping. With that he rushed attacking the white Zetsu clones making quick work of the clones, they were never much of a challenge by themselves but in large groups they could be overwhelming. Then he quickly rushed at Madara again realizing Ino would now be safe from the Zetsu clones since they were gone.

'_Let me at him, I'll get him,' the fox said his voice sounding excited seeing an opportunity to escape._

Like before all of his attacks just passed through him, but the force of his attacks kept shaking the very earth. The surrounding area was now a complete mess the trees where now destroyed and the earth itself was loosened and the dust would have made it impossible for any other person to see but with his sharingan he saw everything. Naruto felt it the power slipping from him as the fox continued to get more and more control slowly overpowering him.

"I am growing tiered of this," Madara said his voice full of anger. Naruto's eyes widened as he saw him complete the hand signs to create a large fireball aimed directly at him. Naruto's tails tried to stop and contain the fire ball, but it was too strong, and he was blasted back at it exploded lighting up the evening sky. The power of the fire ball sent him backwards several feet, but his chakra cloak seemed to have absorbed most of the blow.

Naruto now struggled to get up as the chakra cloak the covered him now seemed to dissipate, leaving him more tiered than ever before. Surveying his surroundings now with a cleared mind he saw the destruction they had caused, thankfully they where far outside of the city gates. Ino was now struggling to get up behind him, and she seemed just as surprised as he was about the destruction.

"Ah you're both still alive," Madara said as he walked past a small wall of flames "I had hoped that would have been enough to knock you out."

"Well I hope you're ready, I'm sure with all this commotion all of Konoha is up and on their way," Naruto said drawing his short blade preparing incase he had to continue fighting.

"Don't worry Zetsu will keep them entertained," Madara said getting closer "I will not leave with out those eyes, they are quite important."

"Well I won't let you take them from Naruto," Ino said sounding a lot stronger than he looked.

"We'll see about that," now rushing at Naruto with a wooden stick he threw it at Naruto, but he easily blocked it but when the blade contacted the wood it expanded into a large branch piercing his left side multiple times. With this distraction Madara quickly grabbed Naruto by the throat and slammed him hard against the floor cracking a large area of the ground.

"Naruto!" Ino exclaimed as she prepared many hand signs "Wind style poison bullets."

Several different colored bullets flew at Madara most of which he avoided but some exploded with gas covering him in multicolored poison gas. Naruto used this distraction to get up close to Ino, their short victory was short lived as the gas was sucked into the sole whole in Madara's mask.

"Poison gas, I guess having a parent that's part of the interrogation squad you would learn of this," Madara said dusting himself off "but of course it's not enough against me."

Naruto held his left side as blood kept flowing from his wounds, his sword was now forgotten as he could no longer hold it. Grabbing multiple paper bombs, he did something he knew he could do with one hand.

"Butterfly paper bomb jutsu," Naruto said using whatever chakra he had left to direct the paper bomb towards his opponent. And once they started exploding, he grabbed hold of one of Ino's hand and they darted towards where the gate would be. He didn't know they had gone that far from the gate but he saw from the distance that a large scale fight was going on there as well.

"Zetsu," Naruto curse realizing tat not only was he keeping them occupied but they wouldn't be able to escape back into the gates. Noticing a whole in the air appear he grabbed Ino and tossed her aside as Madara appeared from the whole and held him by the neck. No matter how much he struggled against his arm the grip just kept getting stronger and stronger, his vision began to blur as the oxygen stopped reaching his neck.

But before he completely passed out, he saw a large fire ball was headed towards them aimed primarily towards Madara. Trying to avoid it Madara allowed Naruto to faze through his hand and the attack had no effect on him. Naruto coughed several times and managed to move out of the way before the fire ball could incinerate him.

"Leave this to me," perhaps the most annoying voice he could imagine said "Why would you endanger Ino by bringing her out here idiot."

"She followed me here idiot," Naruto replied still coughing.

"The last Uchiha in Konoha," Madara said facing the three academy students "show me what you got."

"Don't fight him," Naruto tried to warn Sasuke, but he was too late.

Sasuke charged at Madara kunai in hand. Madara managed to dodge all Sasuke's attacks with ease, no matter what moves he did. Naruto couldn't do anything his body wasn't healing fast enough and his left arm was still useless. Sasuke was thrown back by a strong hit to his stomach, as he flew back, he managed to turn himself around and let a large fireball fly.

"You disappoint me, Sasuke," Madara said emerging from the fire left behind by the fire ball "Now, now Naruto it's time to go."

Naruto noticed the earth beside Madara rise and turn into Zetsu's head, Naruto vaguely heard him talk about the third hokage's appearance at the gate. Ino and Sasuke seemed relieved but for Naruto it was a first, maybe they would leave for now but for how long would they let him free.

"We will be back," Madara said disappearing slowly, and Zetsu did the same.

Naruto's vision started to blur and the toll of the battle making him collapse and all he saw was the arrival of the Hokage and at that moment he couldn't help but see why everyone looked up to him. Maybe the old man wasn't so bad after all, and maybe just maybe he could stay a little longer.

**Hello and id like to apologize for the late post my sister visited me and I really didn't get a chance to write. Also, I hate doing time skips but I wasn't going to be able to write a day for day till they graduate so yeah. Also hope that you enjoyed. **

**David out:) **


	7. Consequences

**Awakening **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto **

'_You're weak,' the loud booming voice of his master's said, 'You are nothing but a tool.'_

'_Shut up!' Naruto yelled out, he tried looking around but there was nothing but darkness, it was all empty, cold, darkness. _

'_Don't listen to them,' a strong but gently voice said, 'You're just like your father.'_

'_He was weak too,' Zetsu said his voice sounding childish 'We killed him and kidnapped you.' _

'_You were supposed to be our best tool, but you became a disappointment,'_

_The wind picked up and the darkness gave way to a blinding light and multiple pictures appeared all his successful missions. Missions of all kinds, kidnappings successful, spying all successful, assassinations all but one successful. The picture of him facing the Hokage blood on his weapon, but as he attempted to step forward the scene ended. Next where his training exercises with the white Zetsu and his other teaches all wore their black robes with red clouds. _

'_Wake up,' the same Strong gentle voice said, but this time it was closer almost as if directly behind him._

_But his visions continued, and he saw himself taking a beating after beating, his body continued to stand up despite his injuries and despite knowing that he couldn't keep going. The group of black cloaked people behind him they're eyes weren't angry or hateful just devoid of all emotion. _

'_You endured it all,' his own voice said directly in front of him, and he could see where it came from a direct copy of himself but his eyes where not the replacement eyes of some Uchiha they were his original sapphire blue eyes 'You endured it all for someone else but it's time to decide if it's worth the pain this time.'_

_The painful brightness of his visions faded into a gentle pink color. And slowly a memory that wasn't associated with his pain appeared. The setting sun cast a gentle light on the river, the same river that ran through the village, river he had grown accustomed to walking as a detour on his way back home. A group of younger kids ran past him making him turn around to see his blond-haired companion, waving at the kids. _

'_Let's go home Naruto,' she said holding her hand out to him with a smile and that twinkle in her eye that said she was contempt. Naruto now being able to see his body for the first time since this twisted vision began, reached for her hand but stopped before their hands touched._

'_Is it worth it?' the voice of his copy asked him again, and the scene turned into one of destruction, the whole village seemed to be in flames and the cries of pain rang through. And the river was dry and the bodies of the ninja from the village littered the empty river. _

'_DECIDE!' his clone yelled now looking older his usual bandage gone and his blue eyes where now dull and tiered. Multiple scars adorned his face and blood dripped from many injuries on his body, and the body of an unconscious Ino in his arms. _

'_Wake up,' Ino's voice said in a whisper._

"_The seals are released,' a rumbling voice said with in him 'they know the truth, youre going to be inroule when you wake up.'_

'_Wake up, wake up,' Ino's voice said getting louder._

"WAKE UP," the last one wasn't in his head but loud and clear and he was finally awake.

He looked around trying to make out his surroundings, and it was way too familiar. ANBU guards where against the all opposite his bed and sitting next to him was Ino looking worriedly at him. The room's white walls where blinding as ever, Ino looked up at him and her worried look turned to one of confusion.

'_Shit my bandages,' _his thought reaching for his face but his hands where stopped by shackles. This reminded him of the foxes' warning _'they won't trust me anymore again,'_

"So that's why you hide your eyes?" Ino asked looking curiously at him "The sharingan, they're like Sasuke's, but yours has one more of those dots."

"Thanks for the comparison," Naruto said sarcastically.

"Why are yours active?" Ino asked still staring intently into his eyes "I mean Sasuke turns his eyes off or something but even when you've been asleep."

"Well they're not my eyes," Naruto said remembering his visions of her unconscious form in his arms "I can't deactivate them, and they drain my chakra like crazy."

"Well I have to leave because I'm technically not supposed to be here," Ino said getting up and was about to exit but stopped "there is a lot that you're hiding but I'm sure there's a good explanation for it so let me know when you can yeah."

Naruto closed his eyes and tried to focus on his chakra to try and analyze how his recovery was doing, most of the wounds from the wood spike where healed and his internal damage from his fighting with Madara. Naruto felt something different, like a dam that finally opened, he was able to go in deeper than he had ever been able. And then there it was the cage keeping the tailed beast trapped, this was the first time he had been able to see him in person.

"I see that the seals keeping secrets weren't the only ones broken," the deep rumbling voice of the tailed beast said, and now that the seal was gone his voice sounded like a powerful wave crashing against the shore.

"Why would they want to keep me from talking to you?" Naruto asked.

"Well isn't it obvious? It's because if you get too powerful, they wouldn't be able to keep controlling you," the tailed beast said lazily.

"You know about Madara?" Naruto said.

"I don't like him; I don't like his eyes," there was more Naruto wanted to ask but he was forced back to reality. An angry looking Inoichi came through the doors, wearing his signature uniform of the interrogation squad, a full set of shackles that were made to keep his arms and legs bonded.

"Let's go Naruto, the elders wish to speak to you," without given a chance to respond he was put in his new restraints and a gag was put over his mouth then he was blindfolded. He assumed it was so the people wouldn't see his eyes as he was transported from the hospital to the Hokage's tower. He heard it the whispers as many of the villagers spoke the rumors of what had happened two nights prior, about the destruction of eastern gate and the increase security. Multiple people were mourning some of the ninja that had died fighting the white Zetsu.

"That's him the monster," someone on his left said disgust clear on his voice.

"He's the reason they village got attacked!" someone yelled. And then he felt it the sharp stinging of a rock hitting his left eyebrow, it had been strong enough to throw his head back and split it making red blood flow soaking his blindfold. Rock and insults where thrown his way many missing, and the words didn't matter to him. They were all meaningless the ANBU tried to stop the crowds, but they didn't listen and then he heard the commotion. It was the three people who he hated the most, or maybe that's just what he told himself.

Multiple people's bodies got frozen in place thanks to a lazy genius. The amount of rocks and other items got reduced as a certain fatso covered their vision, and dog and his trainer started peeing on people's feet redirecting their attention.

'_Those idiots,'_ Naruto thought smiling at the fact that this wasn't the first time they had distracted the crowds and allowed him to buy stuff and do other things. Those guys are going to get into a lot of trouble again, they were more useful than his guard, or maybe the ANBU just didn't care. At least not these guards.

The crowd died down as they approached the Hokage's tower, the security was doubled maybe even tripled. As they entered the office, he knew he was screwed, the Hokage was there sitting on his desk and the village elders where there as well. Some other high-level ninja where there, he had intel in all of them this was not going to be good.

"Naruto Uzumaki, we are gathered here together to decide what your fate will be." The third Hokage said from his desk "Somehow the seals protecting your memories have been removed and we had our best look into your mind."

"So, you're finally going to kill me?" Naruto asked.

"It depends on the decision we come up with today, many people have presented what they believe to be helpful testimonies for both choices."

"Many people here believe that it would be safer to kill you and move the tailed beast to more controlled host," the elder with the bandages around his face said "I for one thing that you should have been killed when you got to the village."

"Yours isn't the only opinion that matter elder," the guard with the grey hair said.

"Nevertheless, we have gathered the information and its substantial, Ibiki?" The third Hokage said signaling for one of the lead investigators forward.

"While we looked inside of his mind we found many incriminating memories of his past deeds, missions he carried out following the orders of one Madara Uchiha," The name of the old founder and enemy of the village drew many gasps of surprise "we also discovered your last mission on this village, it was to spy and gather information on various people in the village, and to kill the third Hokage."

Naruto could feel the eyes of everyone in the room shift towards him, many glares and disgusted looks where sent his way. He tried his best to keep his vision forward and his facial expression as stoic as he could.

"While going through your memories we managed to see that most of his information was gathered completely," Inoichi said from next to him "However during a recent search through his belongings we found these."

Naruto looked over to see that he was holding his notebooks where he wrote all the information he had gathered.

"And after looking over these books I asked Ibiki to dig further and we found some discrepancies," with a quick nod he gave the floor back to Ibiki.

"We found that for the past few months he has been feeding his Masters wrong information and keeping these for himself," "Ibiki said looking at Hokage "For some reason he decided to abandon both the village and his masters, we reviewed all of his memories and saw that since he was old enough he was trained and abused by a group of people."

"So, he wasn't doing any of this willingly?" Might guy said looking confused "And he was trying to free himself of his oppression, and freedom that's the definition of youth and I say he lives."

Guys little outburst cause everyone to facepalm, and many just thought of kicking him out.

"Guy shut up and listen, we have some character witnesses that will be allowed to speak on his behalf," The third Hokage said signaling for Ibiki to continue.

"Yes, first up will be Iruka Umino, his current teacher at the academy."

"I Iruka Umino have overseen his training for the past couple of months and I have nothing negative to report of his behavior," Iruka sensei said looking at Naruto "he continues to show improvement and his presence seems to make a more competitive atmosphere helping others get stronger."

"Thank you for your testimony, next will be Kakashi Hakate who has been his guardian keeping him in check."

"Yes I have been overlooking his day to day activities ensuring that he doesn't do anything that can harm others," Kakashi said "I have also been giving him additional training, while he has been keeping to himself most of the time there has been a couple incidents with the villagers acting out against him."

"Well I wonder if you where watching over him how he was able to acquire so much information about the village," the elder Danzo said.

"Well he is a very skilled with his clones, and of course when someone is so dedicated to his mission, he will find a way," Kakashi finished stepping back to his spot by the wall.

"Next we will hear from Hiashi Hyuga,"

"Yes, I speak as a concerned citizen and a father, one of the Incidents my daughter Hinata was caught in the center of it and got injured. While I do understand that he wasn't the one who hurt her, but his presence agitated the villagers and cause them to act out and be as aggressive."

"Yes, and your guardsman almost killed him trying to get back at him," his other guard said in his defense "and while they assailed him, he used his body to protect her."

"You have not been entered as a witness, so we'll need to ask you to take your place against the wall," the female elder Koharu Utatane said.

"Yes ma'am," with that he backs out.

'_This isn't going that bad maybe if they believe he's been better than bad they will let him live,' Naruto thought. _

"Next we have Inoichi Yamanaka," the third Hokage said.

"Yes I have been keeping an eye on him and I may have been the first advocate to have him killed," Inoichi stared "and proven through facts has been working for the enemy as a spy and the enemy seems to have a powerful hold on him, however his memory does show us that he has been abused by them and forced to do their will. And while he did cause the last incident, he also did his best to fight off his masters and protect the people that were with him."

Naruto couldn't believe what he had heard, the one man that wanted to kill him since he got here was in his favor. He then noticed the nod the Hokage gave Inoichi and a feeling of relief rolled over him, maybe he'll live.

"While we can all agree that killing him won't really achieve anything, but we will lose some important information and the nine tails," Ibiki said looking around the room "So can we vote on whether or not he lives?"

With the nod of the third Hokage Ibiki called for a vote, "Let Naruto live?"

Naruto was relieved to see that seven hands rose in his defense; however, he wasn't sure if that was a good thing since he was unaware of who could vote. He looked around trying to find a pattern and saw how it worked there was the seven major clans present plus the village elders and the lead representative of commerce.

"Now Those opposed?" Ibiki asked and five hands rose meaning he was to live "So he lives, now we must go on to the second part of this meeting, all of you have received a tab with a color. if that color is blue you must now exit."

With that only seven people and Naruto remained, the elders Inoichi, Ibiki and Shikaku remained, and Naruto's restraints where unlocked.

"Now, Naruto we need you to tell us everything you know of the people in your memory and everything you have been told," Shikaku said looking at him "And what was that white thing we faced at the gates they seemed to be unending."

Ino's (POV)

She played absentmindedly with her bandages, she was thinking about this morning he had visited Naruto and he had finally woken up. She couldn't stop thinking about his eyes, they were intimidating to say the least and now she understood why he wore the bandages.

"Ino how are you feeling?" Sakura asked.

"Just about the event a few days back," Ino responded absentmindedly.

"I bet you feel lucky that you got rescued by Sasuke," Sakura said finally pulling Ino out of her thoughts.

"No it was Naruto who saved me, on multiple occasions actually," Ino responded looking at Sakura who had a weird look on her face.

"I thought they said it was all his fault, you know honestly I'm not surprised he's always going after Sasuke and hurting him," Sakura said and Ino just sighed Sakura could really be so short minded sometimes, sure they were love rivals but she was never like that "also I heard he will be getting kicked out of the academy, and wont let him become a ninja anymore."

"What?" Ino was now on her feet looking at Sakura completely confused, she hadn't heard nothing about that. Maybe Naruto did have something to do but wouldn't it be a bit extreme to kick him out.

"Yeah the villagers where talking about it, while they were escorting him to the Hokage's tower this morning," another girl said as they where all gather together for lunch.

"Honestly, I don't know how you put up with him Ino," another one said, "he's a monster you know."

Ino was used to this gossip about Naruto they kept telling them how he was a monster and how he was a bad person. But she never saw him as a bad person, he was never demeaning to anyone and he would always walk her home when she asked. Even when- then her thoughts drifted to that night two days ago the look of utter hatred in his eyes and that awful roar full of pain and anger.

"He's not a monster," Ino defended trying to find things to say in his defense but those eyes kept coming back to her.

"Yes, he's not a monster," a small voice said and Ino was honestly glad for the save "he saved me from the rocks of the villagers once, and he seems to be a talented student."

It was Hinata, and everyone knew about the incident, but they had all heard it the other way around. That angered her he wasn't a bad person, but everyone was hell bent on making him out to be the bad one.

"Ino?" a voice called to her making all the girls turn and glare at her, she saw who the voice belonged to and couldn't help but feel happy, "can I talk to you for a sec."

"Of course, Sasuke," Ino said getting up from her seat and sticking her tongue and pulling her eye at his other admirers "You can talk to me for more than a few seconds."

They quickly made their way away from the prying ears of the rest of the kids which was hard since they were on their lunch break. Ino was excited to get to talk to Sasuke since he was her crush but her thoughts drifted back to Naruto who knows what was happening last thing she knew is that he was at the Hokage's tower.

"You saw him, didn't you?" Sasuke asked her and waited for her to nod "his sharingan where still active?"

"Yes, even in his sleep," Ino responded thinking about the differences between their eyes "he has one more of those black tomes in his eyes, but other than that they were very similar to yours."

He took his time to answer his mind processing the information and probably finding out the truth. His eyes closed and looked back at her.

"Those aren't his eyes," Sasuke said clearly angry "he must have stolen them from an Uchiha, that's why he can't deactivate them."

"Yes, he mentioned that this morning he said something about them taking too much chakra," Ino said remembering their conversation from earlier this morning.

"You saw him fighting the masked man, right?"

"Yes, and he was fighting him using some weird kind of chakra cloak," Ino said shuddering "and it felt wrong, like if was evil and painful like being boiled, but cold. I know it sounds stupid but that how it felt.

"He did that to you?" Sasuke asked referring to her bandaged hand.

"Well not him per say, but I tried to touch his face and it just burned my hand," she said holding her hand tightly "I touched him for like a second and it burned it so badly, I know it not his fault he was trying to fight those bad guys."

"Was he really though? You heard them, they knew him, and he seemed to know them." Sasuke said looking up at the sky his head against the wall he was leaning against.

They stayed for a second before they were all called back into the classroom by the substitute teacher since Iruka sensei was absent. They were going over some basics of transformation or something like that, but she just couldn't pay attention, her mind was on what was happening to Naruto. Then a note was handed to her by a bored looking Shikamaru, he was just mad he had to stay behind after school to clean because they helped Naruto.

'_What happened with Naruto?' _it was Shikamaru's handwriting, and she couldn't help but smile, while Naruto would never admit it they were good friends.

"I'll tell you later," she whispered to him.

She had stayed behind and waited for him after he finished cleaning and they all headed to Ichiraku ramen along with Choji and Kiba.

"My dad wouldn't tell me much but I know a lot of ninja where summoned to the Hokage's tower as well as the village elders," Ino said rewrapping her bandage "But I don't know if what they said about him being taken out of the academy is true."

"Yeah while we were causing the ruckus this morning I heard a lot of people say that they where going to take him out," Kiba said and Akamaru barked in agreement.

"I don't think they mean take him out of the academy, I think they mean taken out, out," Shikamaru said thoughtfully "father did asked me what I thought of Naruto and I think they were all going to be asked about what they believe should happen."

"Think its true what they say about him," Choji said looking worried about something other than food for once "I mean that he's a monster and that he is here as a spy."

Ino didn't want to respond not knowing what to make out of she had heard that night. Part of her wasn't sure but he wasn't a monster that much she was sure of. After they ate, they walked to her house and she was unsure of what to feel as she was about to face her father who would most likely tell her more about what happened. As she made her way up the stairs from their flower shop and held her breath prepared to hear the bad news.

"Hello Ino," Ino was baffled as she saw Naruto there laying on her floor waving at her as her father seemed to be doing something to his head.

"Wh-what is going on?" Ino asked not knowing what to think.

"They decided not to kill me?" Naruto said with a smile.

"It's no use I think we have extracted all the information we can from you," Inoichi said releasing Naruto, who promptly sat up.

"All but your father of course," Naruto said with a mischievous grin.

"What that doesn't really explain much," Ino said more confused than before.

"Long story short the clan heads and village elders took a vote on whether or not to kill me," Naruto said looking deadly serious "and your father voter to kill me."

"I was not the only one Naruto," Inoichi said glaring at him and then looking down defeated "If you keep saying it like that it sounds wrong."

"It will always sound wrong, you voted to have this child killed," Ino heard her mother say from the kitchen "shame on you."

"So, you were going to get killed," Ino asked setting her school bag down and sitting down next them on the floor "and the vote was in your favor why are you here though?"

"Well after they decided not to have me killed, they decided that the best way to keep me in check was to have your father check my mind at least once every week," Naruto said starting to get back up.

"And you wanted him to die?" Ino asked her father dumbfounded she knew that her father didn't like Naruto but that was over the top hate.

"Ino don't think badly of me I was just doing what I thought was right," her father said looking sorry and sad "now your mother is mad at me and is making me sleep on the floor."

"And you deserve it," Ino heard her mom say from the kitchen seconds latter she appeared from the kitchen and set down four plates of curry on the short table they were all sitting around, and sat down as well.

"Thank you for the food," Ino said along with her mom and dad but she noticed Naruto wasn't going for the food and he looked somewhat sad. But she had never seen him sad this was a first.

"What's wrong Naruto?" Ino asked.

"I've never had an actual home cooked meal that I remember," Naruto said now with admiration at the food. Ino couldn't help but feel sad thinking about the kind of childhood Naruto must have had, and she knew her mother felt the same as she glared at her father once more.

"Well eat it all I can make more if you want?" her mother said looking at Naruto expectantly. They all looked at Naruto and saw his face light up as he took a bite of the curry, and Ino noticed a wet spot appear on his bandages.

'_I'll keep that to myself,' _she thought as she ate happily.

**That's the chapter I hope you like it. There will be another time skip this one will take us to their graduation and how they will be divided into their groups, I will be referring to the time within the time skip later as flashbacks. Also, the Main clans that voted alongside the village elders where, Akimichi, Amurabe, Hyuga, Inuzuka, Nara, Sarutobi, and Shimura. **

**David out. **


	8. New Teams

**`New Chapter **

**Hello everyone, I'm glad to have received your reviews it makes me happy to know you guys are enjoying the story so far**.

Naruto's POV

"You have all passed and your ninja squads will be decided by the instructors and the elders," Iruka said looking pleased at his students "you will meet back in this classroom in a week and your team and Jonin leader will take you from there, you guys are dismissed."

After his short little speech had ended the loud hollering of kids as they were set free from their time at the academy, and lucky for them it was a Friday. Naruto knew that most of the Academy's students had their parents outside waiting for them to get out so he pondered waiting so they wouldn't get agitated.

"Naruto, can I speak to you before you leave?" Naruto just nodded towards Iruka and started making his was down from his seat but got stopped by Ino grabbing his sleeve.

"See you at home," Ino said smiling.

"Yeah just got to train for a bit after speaking to Iruka," Naruto responded.

"Naruto, I want to congratulate you on having the best scores of this year's graduates," Iruka said holding onto a piece of paper "this is your certificate and I know not many people will congratulate you so yeah."

Naruto smiled and grabbed the paper reading the certificate, he was not surprised to be the top student he had worked his ass off.

"Gee, thanks Iruka," Naruto said feeling genuinely grateful that he had someone who cared.

"It's still sensei to you, you fool," Iruka said hitting him on the top of his head "be careful out there, the ninja world can be dangerous and while you're really skilled sometimes skill won't be enough."

"How can you tell me to be careful yet hit me right after," Naruto said massaging the sore spot on his head "anyways I got to go train with Kakashi part of my rigorous predetermined schedule by the elders, their way of making me the tool they always wanted."

"Naruto it's not like that, and you know it. the third Hokage sees you as member of his family just like everyone on the village," Iruka said.

"Yeah, well I have to go," And with that Naruto left making his way through the empty halls of the academy.

Unlike the inside of the Academy the outside was still buzzing with activity as kids got praised by their parents for graduating. But the celebration seemed to stop as Naruto exited and all the cheerful smiles turned to sneering as they all noticed the certificate in his hand.

"He graduated too?" someone said their voice dripping with poison.

"Why is he still here?" Naruto heard another ask, but he tried to ignore it and push past the crowd, but of course they wouldn't make it easy. A large ball of spit narrowly missed him making him stop, and anger rose from the pit of his stomach.

"Oops sorry," the owner of the spit said looking at Naruto with disgust "I missed."

'_Let me lose on this guy and ill show him we don't miss,' _the voice of the tailed beast rumbled deep within him.

"Excuse me," Naruto said through gritted teeth.

"Whatever," he said turning around letting Naruto pass.

Naruto now sprinted as fast as he could to the training field where he would fight his ANBU guardian to do some additional training. But he wasn't there which for once he was thankful his anger was overwhelming for once, he didn't care of the opinions of the villagers, did he? He tried to breath and relax putting his back against a tree and closing his eyes and tried to breath for a second but the faces of disgust the villages gave him was too much. Without realizing it he lashed out striking the he was leaning against seconds before unknowingly adding his chakra nature, and the tree trunk splintered sending would particles all over the field and the top fell over lifting lots of dust.

"Are you alright?" Naruto turned around looking for the source of the voice and his sharingan picked up the chakra signature from within the dust "Did the tree offend you?"

"Let's get this lesson over with, I want the day to be all over," Naruto said getting ready to fight and drawing his sword "rules?"

"No practice today we're done for the time being," Kakashi said taking his ANBU mask showing of his facemask and his one Sharingan that seemed to glare at him "you will be going to a team leader and you're already pretty advanced for a genin."

"Thanks, and if there isn't anything, I need to go get lobotomized," Naruto said sheathing his weapon and leaving.

"Wait Naruto I do have something for you," Kakashi said and Naruto turned in time to catch a three-pointed Kunai that had engraving on the handle "that's from you know who."

"Just call it like it is the man who put a demon inside of his own son," Naruto said with anger.

'_What kind of parent does that,' _Naruto though.

"Naruto no one knows the whole truth of what happened, anyone who was present was killed," Kakashi said looking down at the floor sadness clear in his eyes "And when the third Hokage got there your parents were dead and you got kidnapped."

"Yeah I heard that plenty of times," Naruto said still starring at the gift Kakashi had given him "and I don't care why he did it I just hate that it happened, I hate him and this village"

"You should be happy you just graduated from the academy and are now a full fletched genin," Kakashi said his eyes scanning him "btw where is that ninja headband you got from the academy?"

"It's not a requirement to wear it unless you're doing ninja activity," Naruto said throwing the kunai in-between Kakashi's feet sticking hilt deep into the wood he was sitting on "I'm leaving."

"You completed you training in chakra nature and how to imbue it to the kunai," Naruto heard Kakashi say and proceeded to make his way towards the Yamanaka flower shop where he would get his memory examined. But since he didn't have any training today, he could go somewhere else before they thought he was trying to avoid the mindreading. The one place where his drag of a life wouldn't feel so bad.

"I'm sorry where closed for a private ev-," Naruto heard a voice as he stepped in, but it stopped for a second. His eyes looked around and he was surprised to see the changes there was a huge sign by the counter above the kitchen area_ 'Congratulations Naruto.'_

"Congratulations Naruto," it was both Ayame, her father and Iruka sensei "we thought you'd still be training and maybe we had more time to gather more people, but this is all we had for now."

"You guys did this for me?" Naruto said thinking about this whole situation "How'd you know I'd come here when it was all set up."

"We thought we'd be able to get that Ino girl to bring you here after her event," a voice said from behind him one he wasn't necessarily fond of but he was determined to not let it bother him he tried to ignore it as the third Hokage walked in behind him. "and don't worry about the mind searching today I talked to the elders and Inoichi, you now have an extension of a month."

"That actually good because within a week I have no new changes whatsoever," Naruto said taking a seat on a stool. Naruto was not one for sentimental gestures but he like this people who genuinely cared about his well-being or that they were happy he graduated.

"Yoh," Naruto heard the voice of Kakashi coming from the entrance, however he wasn't wearing his ANBU uniform but the regular Jonin uniform with the olive-green flat jacket over a black long sleeve shirt and black pants, his mouth was covered by a face mask and his Sharingan with his forehead protector, "you left without this."

Naruto felt Kakashi pull a stool and sit next to him and something poked his forearm. He turned and saw the three-pointed kunai, he picked it up and examined it closer this time. He looked at the leather wrapped handle; the seal seemed to be burned into the wrappings, but it had so much detail in the formula. Naruto tried to use his sharingan on it and just as he expected he noticed a small leftover trail of chakra maybe all seals have a trace like that.

"Iruka sensei are you in there," another annoying voice said from the entrance, the voice of the boy who thinks so highly of himself that he doesn't think of anyone else "oh he's here too?"

Third Hokage's (POV)

"Now to decide the team members of the newly graduated class," Hiruzen said feeling tiered as they had spent a whole day meeting after meeting,_ 'Maybe I am getting too old for this.'_

"And that includes the tailed beast," Danzo said, Hiruzen couldn't help but glare at him, he knew that he hated his attitude towards Naruto and continued to poke at him "You promised you would keep an eye on him personally and I'm not so sure you'll be able to do if he's out doing missions, While you stay in your seat."

"You did promise that, after the event with Madara," Koharu said the old hag was never pleased with his decisions "So what will it be, we told you to just stop him from going to the academy and just keep him on the village."

"We can't just deny someone because we're afraid of what they can become," Hiruzen said trying his best to convince him that what he had "And beside I have a solution my son has just come back from a mission and he will be an extension of me, and will keep Naruto in check."

"Last time we checked he wasn't all that keen on listening to your orders," Danzo said with smug smirk "Didn't he leave the village to serve as one of the twelve guards of the Daimyo, against your wishes."

"He was just young and reckless back then, now he's got a lot more experience and a lot more mature," Hiruzen responded genuinely proud of the accomplishments of his son "and while our ideology might differ he will keep Naruto in check and will ensure he is safe."

"I'm surprised you didn't recommend he be assigned to Kakashi," Homura said looking through many files "I mean he is lord fourth's last remaining student plus he could teach him about the sharingan."

"While he has already built a strong bond with Naruto and has explained his heritage to him, he isn't the right person to teach Naruto about being a ninja," Hiruzen said thoughtfully "And I would prefer to have him focus on Sasuke, he could be a good role model for him since he still has a dark path ahead of him."

"Okay then let's move on to the next student, we know that Kurenai will be taking Hinata Hyuga as a student since she spoke to the clan leader directly," Iruka said speaking for the first time since this meeting began "next we have the student with the worst grades, and what I mean by that is that they are the scores just high enough to graduate but in order to get that you actually have to be pretty smart."

"Don't tell me this is another lazy Nara genius," Koharu said with a small laughter looking at some files "well Inoichi reported that he and Naruto had a good relationship in the academy and may be a good influence on Naruto."

"Well yes and Naruto had a good impact on him, and helped him be less lazy," Iruka said looking through some paperwork with Naruto's insistence he has done more pranks and while that's not good Shikamaru had little to no skills in some of the more stealth aspects of being a ninja. That's stuff was all though by Naruto."

"What about the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, I'm not sure their respective clans would be too happy to see them split," Danzo said his one eye looking around for support on the matter, but Hiruzen was happy with the team for Naruto he had to make sure he would be in a good team, "okay then what about the rest of the trio where would they all go if not together."

"Well get to that in a second but for now the next one is a wild card she's smart and has a brilliant future and her motivation is Sasuke," Iruka said handing them all a picture of a pink haired girl with her class grades "So I believe that the best thing to do is to add her to Sasuke's team we all know how strong a motivator love can be."

"Yeah, yeah whatever next we got the kid from the Inuzuka clan him and his mutt can go with Kurenai they could be useful as a tracking unit," Homura said with a slight pause waiting for final approval, after receiving a slight nod he set Kiba's academy papers in Kurenai's team pile.

"Now we got an easy pick Ino Yamanaka we need to put her on Asuma's team since I'm sure Inoichi still needs to keep tabs on his minds activity," Danzo said looking through her file "and of course he'll be mad about this but he will take it out on the boy."

"I'm sure everything will be okay, I'm sure Naruto will prove his worth and he won't be seen as a monster soon," Hiruzen said taking a sip of his tea "Now Asuma's team is complete next Kakashi's team needs one more member who should we use."

"How about a more social member someone like Choji he will be able to bring a better balance to the team, you see Sasuke while brilliant in his studies he's not all that great at socializing, and Sakura while also smart she'd just go along with whatever Sasuke says," Iruka said walking around handing out Choji's academy report "And Choji has an outspoken personality that can act as a bridge between them and he has great adaptability."

"Iruka you seem to be very involved with your students," Hiruzen said happy to know that the will of fire that was passed down to him still lives on "What about the last member for Kurenai's team."

"Well we could add the Aburame kid his scores even them out better," Koharu said looking at his files and waiting for Hiruzen's approval.

"I believe that's it for that team," Danzo said looking tiered "How many more students are there?"

"Twelve more students remain," Iruka said and Hiruzen was just ready to drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Line Skip ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Asuma I've been waiting for you," Hiruzen said standing up from his chair "We need to talk."

"What do you want dad?" Azuma said closing slamming the door behind him "I've had a long day."

"You will be the leader of a genin unit, and I need you to be serious about this," Hiruzen said lighting a cigarette.

"I don't think that will be a great Idea, I don't much care about teaching little brats," Asuma responded lighting his own cigarette blowing the smoke directly at him.

"I don't care about what you want right now," Hiruzen responded anger rising within him "I need you to do this because otherwise Naruto will not be allowed to become a Ninja."

"What do you mean just get someone else to be his squad leader you're the Hokage."

"I don't have that kind of power no more and you know it, Danzo still has the Root and large support from a lot of the minor clans as well as some major clans," Hiruzen couldn't help his feeling of failure return.

"What's the worst that could happen, they send him back to the academy or something," Azuma responded oblivious to what the real situation was.

"Worst case scenario is that they take the tailed beast from him and he might die from that," Hiruzen took a seat feeling heavy his years finally weighing on him "I have failed Minato yet again, this was one of the main reasons why I stepped down from being Hokage last time."

"Wait they would kill the kid?" Azuma asked expressing his surprise.

"Why do you think I came here personally I need you to do this for Naruto's sake."

"I hate kids they're not good for picking up girls and the jobs genin teams have to do don't pay very good," Asuma said sitting down on his couch just letting himself melt into it "Who are the other instructors for this year's kids?"

"Well from people you would know Kakashi, and Kurenai."

"Kakashi is actually taking on students this time around?" Asuma asked "I bet he'll just give them back after he test them, he's got to be the hardest person to please, and Kurenai this might make it harder for us to spend time together."

"Yeah well Kakashi also has an important task, he will be put in charge of Sasuke Uchiha maybe he will be able to teach him some about his sharingan and since they have experienced some similar things it will be good for them both," Hiruzen said making his way to the door "by the way on Monday you need to go to the classroom and meet them so you can perform their test."

"You really waited till the last minute to tell me, it's two days before I get to meet them id like to have met them and devised something," Asuma responded.

"Well you were avoiding me, or just plain out hard to find."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Line Skip ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ino's (POV)

Ino was excited to know what the team line ups would be like, even though she already knew who she would be paired with. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio was going to have another generation, but she was ready to prove to her parents that she was grown up. Also, she had to show Sasuke that she would be a great kunoichi and once he saw that he would fall for her and Ignore Sakura.

"Why do you look so excited, Ino pig?" She heard Sakura say drawing her attention from her daydreams "Your team is already decided so that means I have the best chance of being with Sasuke, and I'll make him fall for me."

"Whatever Sakura, you sound as childish as ever," Ino responded hating the idea that her love rival could be placed in the same team as Sasuke "even if you where to be paired up with him he won't fall for you and your big forehead."

"As if he'd fall for someone that he doesn't know over someone like me," Sakura responded trying to get under her skin "why don't you look at my outfit I look great compared to you and your forehead."

She wasn't one to show off and bully others but this time it was true, she had put her platinum blonde hair in a ponytail that reached her waist, as well as a bang that covered one of her light blue eyes. She had a purple sleeveless top, with a high collar that would have exposed her belly, but her father insisted that it would be too exposed, so she wore bandages to cover it. She matched it with an apron skirt, as well as bandages to cover her exposed legs, she had tried for a more adult look, but it seemed silly now with all the bandages, whatever she was sure she still looked good.

"Someone looks like their father wouldn't let them wear what they wanted, you look so childish," Sakura said poking fun at her "and I'm not sure if you know this but a forehead protector is supposed to be used for your forehead not as a belt."

"You're the one that looks like a child with so much pink and that dress too long," Ino said looking her up and down and continuing to walk towards the academy "what a childish outfit maybe Sasuke will just ignore you."

"My dress and skills are what will make him fall for me since we will be working close together," Sakura responded outstepping her showing her childish side once more "you better hurry up or you'll be late."

"Why you seem to be slower than me like always," Ino said picking up her speed once again pulling far ahead of Sakura this time.

Minutes later they both made it to the academy far before anyone else since they had been running, her hair had been messed up by their stupid little race.

"Well that looks like I win, billboard brow," Ino said as she burst through the door.

"Whatever I just let you win," Sakura responded flipping her hair and tightening her head band.

"Well we made it before anyone else," Ino said but she was corrected by Sakura.

"No look your boyfriend is here," Sakura said with a slight laugh.

"I don't see Sasuke, but thanks for recognizing we're meant to be together," Ino responded with a toothy grin before making her way towards the desk she shared with Naruto "you're here early Naruto how was your weekend?"

"Well it started off pretty good I even had a small celebration for graduating, you know that ramen we always meet up after training?" Ino nodded remembering that Iruka wanted to do something for him but she was unable to go since her father along with Shikamaru's and Choji's threw them a combined party since they knew they would be in the same team.

"Well after that I went home to go sleep however since I graduated and the fact that the complex owner hates me he raised the cost of living but I don't have enough so I've been sleeping here," Naruto said looking upset, this also upset her "well just slept here but I showered at the hot springs and I've been trying to get with the Hokage to get a raise in my housing allowance."

"What that's crazy why didn't you tell me? Or Iruka sensei about this?" Ino asked her voice rising without her realizing it "I mean what kind of asshole rises his prices just because you graduated?"

"Well he assumed I would be getting paid immediately," Naruto responded, and this made Ino smile he seemed to always be willing to justify someone's motives to being mean to him, or maybe that's just how he copes and avoids getting angry.

"You guys are here early," Ino heard the voice of Iruka sensei from the door and Ino turned to see more people starting to make their way to their seats and then Sasuke made his way through the door and towards his seat.

"Sasuke what do you think of my outfit," Ino hated how his eyes just slipped past her and landed on Naruto but then he just turns around to sit on his desk his face showing no sign of any emotion.

"It's fine I guess," Ino couldn't help but smile at his comment, finally some acknowledgment.

"Of course, you look good too," Ino responded. He always looked good with his blue top, white shorts and his strong demeanor.

"Everyone take a seat and get ready to hear about your teams and your Jonin leader," Iruka sensei said making everyone hustle to get to their seats. Ino already had an idea of who would be in her team, but she wanted to know about Naruto and Sasuke.

"I would like to start by congratulating you guys once more, you guys did amazing and today is a very important day the teams that have been selected by the village elders the Hokage and myself," Iruka sensei said fixing some papers on his podium "Now the first team is team 10 with Jonin leader Asuma Sarutobi will be Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Naruto Uzumaki."

"Wait what?" the words just escaped her mouth she couldn't believe it she had been training all this time with the Ino-Shika-Cho trio but now they wouldn't get to be in a team.

"Good they took the monster with them," Ino heard some of the other students say along with a few other insults, this always pissed off Ino. Naruto was the top student and he kept trying his best to just be another student but most of the other students just kept harassing him and calling him names all because the adults are being idiots.

"Next will be team 8 with Jonin leader Kurenai Yuhi, the students on this team will be, Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame," this drew a loud howl from Kiba along with a sharp bark from the small pup "keep it down I'm not done."

"Yes sir," Kiba responded sitting back down.

"Next is team will be team 7 under Jonin team leader Kakashi Hatake," Iruka sensei continued but Ino couldn't help but wonder how everything would be different now that she was part of an actual genin team "the team members will be Sasuke Uchiha, Choji Akimichi and Sakura Haruno."

"Oh yeah!" Sakura yelled out causing everyone's attention to shift towards her.

All Ino could thing is about how this was the worst possible scenario, and how she couldn't believe that Sakura got what she wanted. Now she'd try and put the moves on her beloved Sasuke, while her team wasn't all that bad, she wished she could be with Sasuke. She was lost in thought as her worst nightmare materialized before her.

"Ino lets go," she was pulled from her nightmare as Naruto and Shikamaru woke her up.

"What do you guys mean?" Ino said still waking up slowly.

"Iruka sensei said we will meet our teacher on our designated training field," Naruto said putting a back bag over his shoulder.

"And it's at training field number 10 like our team," Shikamaru said.

"Yeah I guess we're team 10 now," Ino said smiling now her team wasn't bad and she was looking forward to working with them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Line Skip ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Current team standings

Team 10

Asuma Sarutobi

Ninjutsu: 4.5

Taijutsu: 4

Genjutsu: 3.5

Intelligence: 4

Strength: 4

Speed: 4.5

Stamina: 3.5

Hand seals: 3.5

Total: 31.5

Naruto Uzumaki

Ninjutsu: 2.5

Taijutsu: 2.5

Genjutsu: 2

Intelligence: 2

Strength: 2

Speed: 2

Stamina: 4

Hand seals: 2

Total: 19.5

Ino Yamanaka

Ninjutsu: 2.5

Taijutsu: 1.5

Genjutsu: 1.5

Intelligence: 2

Strength: .5

Speed: 2.5

Stamina: 2

Hand seals: 2.5

Total: 15

Shikamaru Nara

Ninjutsu: 2

Taijutsu: 1.5

Genjutsu: 2.5

Intelligence: 4

Strength: 1.5

Speed: 2

Stamina: 1.5

Hand seals: 2

Total: 17

Team 8

Kurenai Yuhi

Ninjutsu: 3.5

Taijutsu: 4

Genjutsu: 5

Intelligence: 4

Strength: 2

Speed: 4

Stamina: 3

Hand seals: 4.5

Total: 30

Hinata Hyuga

Ninjutsu: 1.5

Taijutsu: 2.5

Genjutsu: 1.5

Intelligence: 2.5

Strength: 1.5

Speed: 2

Stamina: 2

Hand seals: 2

Total: 15.5

Kiba Inuzuka

Ninjutsu: 1.5

Taijutsu: 2.5

Genjutsu: .5

Intelligence: 1

Strength: 2.5

Speed: 3.5

Stamina: 1.5

Hand seals:1.5

Total: 14.5

Shino Aburame

Ninjutsu: 3.5

Taijutsu: 1.5

Genjutsu: 2

Intelligence: 3

Strength: 1.5

Speed: 1.5

Stamina: 2

Hand seals: 2

Total: 17

Team 7

Kakashi Hatake

Ninjutsu: 5

Taijutsu: 4

Genjutsu: 4

Intelligence: 4

Strength: 3.5

Speed: 3.5

Stamina: 3

Hand seals: 5

Total: 32

Sasuke Uchiha

Ninjutsu: 2.5

Taijutsu: 2.5

Genjutsu: 1.5

Intelligence: 2

Strength: 2

Speed: 3

Stamina: 2

Hand seals: 2.5

Total: 18

Sakura Haruno

Ninjutsu: 1.5

Taijutsu: 1

Genjutsu: 2.5

Intelligence: 3

Strength: .5

Speed: 1

Stamina: 1

Hand seals: 3

Total: 13.5

Choji Akimichi

Ninjutsu: 3

Taijutsu: 2

Genjutsu: .5

Intelligence: .5

Strength: 3

Speed: 1

Stamina: 2

Hand seals: 1.5

Total: 13.5

**So that's the chapter I hope you guys enjoy it and are looking forward to the next chapter, I was debating whether create a full roster of OCs for the rest of their class, but they really don't play an important role. Also, I added the stats for the teams and will ad stats for other ninja throughout the story while I am using the information from the data books as well as other research I just switched some stuff to go accordance to the story like the Databook has Naruto at 14.5 total but in my story he is slightly above Sasuke so yeah. Let me know your thoughts.**

**David out. **


	9. Let's Get to Work

Let's Get to Work

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto **

Naruto's (POV)

"You guys sure took your time," Naruto heard a lazy voice say from behind a tree as they all reached their training ground. Naruto knew the name of their would-be instructor and he knew he was a powerful ninja, one of the twelve guardian ninjas as well as the son of the third Hokage.

"Well it took us some time to find the training field," Ino responded a slight look of annoyance on her face "Smoking isn't good for you, you know."

"Whatever just be on time from now own," Naruto finally got a good look at this Asuma Sarutobi and he couldn't believe hos average he looked, the usual Jonin flat jacket over black pants and undershirt but he had the fire daimyo sash coming from his flack.

"So, you're the third Hokage's kid?" Naruto asked feeling a smile creep its way to his face, as an angry look replaced the calm demeaner of the Jonin instructor.

"Watch your mouth kid you're not safe yet, I'm sure you guys haven't heard yet," Asuma said getting up from the base of the tree and blew some smoke at Naruto's face "there's one more test you guys need to pass, we the instructors get to decide whether or not you guys are ready to be ninja."

"What? That's crazy then what's the point of having done all that training," Ino asked anger clear in her face.

"There hasn't been a war in a long time however the world is still a dangerous place that we cant have you kids going out there and dying," Asuma said stretching his back and extinguishing whatever was left of his cigarette "but if you have trained as hard as you say you will be fine, the test is usually something we see that needs to improve, and I have gone over your school paperwork and noticed you are all skilled."

Naruto looked at his teammates and nodded feeling confident that they where both capable of taking care of themselves. However, he had been a firsthand witness at the horrors of the ninja world, he had been one of them as well.

"But this test I have prepared will help tie it all together and let me see your combined strength, knowledge and teamwork," he paused for a second "the passing rate of this test that we Jonin hold has a failing rate of sixty present if not more, meaning more than half your class will fail. Sometimes when the Jonin do not feel like taking students they will simply give a test that is simply impossible."

"This is such a drag," Shikamaru whispered to himself and Naruto couldn't help but smile.

"Al right then, we need to do a meet and greet so you all can sit down," Asuma said waiting for them to all sit down "alright then lets get down to business, so tell me your names something you like and dislike, and the reason you became a ninja."

"I'll go first, my name is Ino Yamanaka, I like Sasuke like a lot maybe even love him," she said and Naruto wasn't surprised at all "I dislike Sakura she's just a copycat after my Sasuke, and the reason I became a ninja is because I want to be the leader of the Yamanaka clan one day and surpass my father."

"Well that's a noble reason to becoming a ninja," Asuma said looking pleased, "now you with the pineapple head."

"Well my name is Shikamaru Nara," He started clearly disliking the nickname he was given but knew better than to say anything because of his lazy attitude "I like naps after lunch, and I dislike any kind of hard work and I became a ninja because my mother wouldn't stop nagging me."

They all face palmed when they heard that, and while Naruto knew that he was a lazy ninja he never thought he was on this level.

"You're next," Asuma said pointing at Naruto.

"Well I'm Naruto Uzumaki and I like Ichiraku Ramen, and I hate this village and how it runs," Naruto said looking at them for a reaction they all just looked at him expectantly "and I became a ninja because the Hokage wanted me to, but now I want to be a ninja because that's what I know."

"Well as you can see you all joined for different reasons, we all need to work together to achieve those goals," Asuma said looking at all of them "now you guys still need to pass that test so that I don't send you guys back to the academy."

"It is two pm you can go get lunch and come find me, you have three hours to complete the test."

"Any more details of what we will be doing during the test?" Ino asked.

"We will play a simple game of hide and seek combined with tag," Asuma said lighting another cigarette "you will need to find me and tag me, simple as that."

"Alright then let's go get some food," Naruto said turning around and placing his hands behind his head "this will be a piece of cake, he seems like the slow and lazy type."

Naruto waited till they were out of Asuma's sight before pulling both of his teammates behind the tree line. And looked at Asuma from within the trees, he watched as his figure sat down on the roots of the tree he was in previously.

"You guys picked up on his words, right?" Naruto asked them in a hushed voiced "he said we had three hours to find him and catch him,"

"He didn't say we had to go to lunch and when the start time was," Ino said picking at her lips thinking "so we need to capture him now maybe he lowered his guard thinking we went to lunch."

"So the test started as soon as he finished telling us the test parameters," Shikamaru said closing his eyes "I'm thinking of the best way to tag him, and if where going by the rules I'm assuming one hit is all it would take correct."

"Yes we need to get the drop on him while he's relaxing," Ino said with air quotes "well I can hit him with some of my non-lethal sleeping gas, that should give us sometime for you guys to close the gap and strike."

"Well it would work but I've seen the range of your attacks and its not all that great," Shikamaru said shaking his head "if you could hit him with the gas Naruto wouldn't be able to get close and not get knocked out too."

"Well I could use some smoke screen, and Naruto can see through that with his sharingan," Ino said

"Wait what Sharingan?" Shikamaru asked looking at Naruto expectantly.

Now he took the opportunity to remove the bandages of his head and reveal his borrowed eyes, Shikamaru looked surprised but nodded just taking in the information.

"Then I can use my shadow binding to hold him or at least distract him enough for you to tag him," Shikamaru looked at Ino "Ino, Naruto might need your help to fight him, I know your team work wont be the best but he will it's the best we got and if we don't tag him right now we will not have another chance since the rest of the time will run out."

"Damn Shikamaru, you really are a lazy genius," Naruto said nodding his head and drawing his sword "we have approximately two ours and thirty minutes till the test is done."

"Let's get moving, he is still there but he will move soon once he thinks we figured it out," Ino said.

"So sharingan heh?" Shikamaru asked looking down at his feet "here I thought you just looked ugly."

Naruto smiled and shoved him playfully but walked to get in position they watched as Asuma looked at his watch, before resting his hands behind his back and laying back down. He looked over at Ino and nodded who started working on her hand signs and took some air in. Quickly both ran out of the trees Asuma seemed to be oblivious to their approach until Ino released her jutsu blowing a large cloud of smoke at Asuma.

Naruto could easily see the silhouette of Asuma get up into a fighting stance, Naruto rushed in the smoke being able to see clearly. Naruto charged in swinging his sword low aiming at his opponents' knees but Asuma just dodged by jumping over his sword. Naruto was expecting that, so he released one hand from his sword and opened his hips to deliver a round house kick, his kick made contact, but something was wrong.

'_Crack' _Naruto heard wood exploding his eyes widened in realization that Asuma had used the substitution jutsu. But it was so fast he never noticed it, he felt the shift in the smoke and quickly ducked as a leg passed over his head Naruto quickly did a backflip to avoid a leg sweep. They both closed the distance their respective weapons causing sparks to fly. Naruto couldn't find an opening his eyes followed all of Asuma's moves but he's fighting stile was unorthodox and there was no real pattern to any of his moves. And then for split second he saw it and over extended blow, if Naruto could stab at him, he shouldn't have time to block but then Naruto would be opened to attack this would have to do.

Naruto quickly shifted his body and thrusted his sword aiming for his opponents' shoulder if this failed Ino and Shikamaru better be close by to catch him. But as his blade neared his opponent his body stopped and so did Asuma's body both caught in a shadow.

"Just in time," Shikamaru said as the rest of the smoke dispersed, and he came into view "we can't have you killing our instructor on the first day Naruto."

"So, I see you guys read into my words, you guys are smart," Asuma said his body frozen in place "and you guys decided to get me while I was resting peacefully, and made a plan in accordance to your current strengths that's good."

"Ino hurry up and tag him I won't be able to hold him much longer," Shikamaru said but was too late as Asuma started to disintegrate into smoke.

"This is just a clone and you guys did well, but the test is still not over you still need to find me," Asuma said before completely dissolving leaving a strong smell of cigarette.

"Damn I thought we had him," Naruto said stretching his arm and sheathing his wakizashi "now we need to find him and he's somewhere in the village now."

"This is turning to be such a drag," Shikamaru said sitting down "any ideas where we could start looking?"

"Well we could try and ask Kurenai sensei," Ino responded turning towards the direction of them village "They have a thing those two."

"You think she'll know where to find him?" Naruto asked.

"That's just dumb while she might know where he is it will make our search harder," Shikamaru stated leaning his head back "it will be harder because now we have to look for two people instead of just one."

"You're right, not only that but she might me conducting her own test to her team," Naruto stated plopping down next to Shikamaru.

"Well get up you lazy lumps we won't find him if we sit down," Ino yelled at them stomping her foot.

"We need to think first of possible options then we execute on them," Shikamaru stated his eyes closed "Do you guys know anything about the guy other than his name."

"I know where he lives but wouldn't it be too obvious, he would probably expect us to go there first."

"Well there might be a clue there," Ino pointed out.

"Fine we'll go and see what we can find," Shikamaru said getting on his feet and dusting himself up "wait isn't that Mizuki sensei coming this way?"

"Hey kids how's it going," Mizuki said a wide smile on his face "out here training?"

"Well yeah were doing a stupid test," Ino responded returning the smile "what's that big scroll."

"Its for one of my new missions," Mizuki answered "well good luck I need to go."

Naruto couldn't keep his eyes of the scroll on his back it looked familiar but from where and he just couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

"Well let head over to Asuma's house see if we can find anything about where he went," Ino said turning around and walking away. Shikamaru shook him drawing his attention back to Ino and walked after her, but Naruto sent another glance at Mizuki's disappearing form. He quickly pulled out his bandages and wrapped them around his eyes covering his sharingan once again.

They arrived at his place shortly after and knocked on the door but there was no response or any sound but that didn't mean anything. Naruto quickly puled out his lockpicking kit and started to work on the lock, and with in seconds they were in. As soon as they entered the house the smell of smoke filled their nostrils, but hey ignored it and started to look around the house the kitchen was on the left it was clean and mostly empty.

"Guys, over here," Ino called out to them from the living room that was just opposite the kitchen "Look that cigarette is still lit and smoking he was here."

"Shit he slipped from our fingers," Naruto said disappointed that they had to play this little game.

"Keep looking I feel like he wanted us to find the cigarette," Shikamaru said a thoughtful look on his face as he walked towards the back of the house where the rooms where at.

"If he left it for us to find there must be more clues but what else could count as a clue," Ino said raising her voice so they could hear her from the other rooms, receiving a response shortly after.

"Maybe this open window with disturbed dirt on the ground," Naruto called from one of the rooms.

"Or this note that says 'congratulations on finding the clues you guys aren't completely hopeless'," Shikamaru said from another room. Both Shikamaru and Ino joined Naruto in the room with the opened window.

"Well we are on the right track we just need to keep going," Ino said then looked at Naruto "you any good at tracking people."

"Well I can follow footprints pretty well and I can see patterns," Naruto said scratching his head "but that's nothing special."

"Let's go we're running out of time," Ino said jumping out the window followed closely by Shikamaru who muttered about how troublesome this was. Naruto smiled for a second and followed his teammates, the tracks where fresh and easy to follow at first, but soon they started to get harder to follow. The closer they reached the more populated areas of the village the harder the tracks where to follow but Naruto knew from the dept in them that they did belong to their sensei or at least someone of a similar build.

"He's walking slowly," Shikamaru told Naruto.

"Yes, the footprints are full meaning he's not just on the balls of his feet but he's putting his whole weight in them before he takes another step," Naruto said kneeling on the ground "good analysis Shikamaru."

"Or maybe he knows that because he is a few feet ahead of us," Ino said drawing Naruto's attention, he followed her pointing finger and saw that she was right Asuma was only a few feet ahead of them.

"What do we do?" Naruto asked Shikamaru.

"Follow me," Shikamaru said jumping from building to building getting to the top of the building, Ino and Naruto followed once on top of the building they huddled together "Okay he seems to be in no rush meaning he's waiting for us to catch up so he won't be caught by surprise if we attack him so we need a better plan."

"I have a plan but I'm not that great at transformations, are you?" Ino said looking at them "If you could transform into Kurenai sensei and get close to him and hopefully tag him."

"I can do it," Naruto said before standing up and doing the hand seals and transforming into Kurenai sensei or at best he could "does it look right?"

"Well other than the voice you look like her," Ino said looking him up and down "if you can just get close enough to tag him it'll be okay, try not to speak."

"Alright Naruto you need to go a few blocks ahead and turn the corner meet him head on and tag him," Shikamaru said.

"First how do we know that he'll fall for Kurenai," Naruto asked.

"Well he often comes to the Yamanaka flower shop asking for flowers for her," Ino said "and if he sees anyone else coming at him, he will put his guard up and fight them off."

"Okay whatever I'm going," Naruto said jumping building to building till he got a few blocks past Asuma and dropped down the alley way. All he had to do was walk out and wave wait for him to get close and tag him once.

Naruto stepped out from the alley and spotted Asuma who seemed to have spotted him as well, he waved. Good first step complete now he needs to get close to him, he weaved through people getting closer, but he was careful to not bump into anyone and lose hold of his transformation."

"Hey, you done with the test for your team," Asuma said and avoided responding so he nodded slowly trying to imitate how he thought she would look. However, his senses told him to duck or move out the way and he never ignored his senses so he moved just in time to avoid a chop that would have surely knocked him out if it had hit. However, he still got hit on the shoulder hard, he rolled a few feet away to his left and remained low to the ground on all fours, his transformation abandoned. The foot traffic stopped and moved around them giving them room.

"What the fuck," Naruto cried out in pain his right arm feeling numb.

"Naruto what are you doing transforming into me?" Kurenai sensei, the real Kurenai asked fuming in anger.

"It was supposed to be a fool proof plan," Naruto said sanding up straight holding his right arm facing both Asuma and Kurenai, his response seemed to draw out a confused look.

"Wait I can't move," Asuma said before a small smile made it way to his lips, and then Naruto saw Ino come behind him and tag him.

"Tag you're it," she said loudly.

"You finally got me huh?" Asuma asked sounding uninterested.

"You going to explain this to me?" Kurenai asked crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well it's the test I gave them they had to tag me," Asuma said looking at his watch as he was released from the shadow binding "with a whole hour to boot, not bad guys."

"Can we go home now I'm hungry," Shikamaru said as he reached them, the crowd had started to circulate once more.

"Well you guys passed and I think you earned your rest," Asuma said grabbing Shikamaru around the neck and giving out a loud laughter "You guys are pretty cool, Naruto your Taijutsu is very good I actually had to try to make sure you didn't hit my clone, Ino that smoke screen was very useful because it gave Naruto a slight advantage, and last but least your brains Shikamaru probably planned the whole thing out."

"Just let go of me already," Shikamaru said struggling against Asuma's arm "this is such a drag."

"Asuma, Kurenai the Hokage needs all Jonin to meet him at the Hokage tower," an ANBU black ops called from one of the buildings above them.

"What happened?" Asuma called back to him and ANBU dropped down from the roof top next to them.

"Some one stole the scroll of sealing," the ANBU black ops guy said. The image of Mizuki walking past them at the training fields, with the large scroll on his back. Naruto became lost in his mind as he remembered seeing the same scroll in the Hokage's office when collecting his allowance.

"Mizuki sensei," Ino said bringing him back from his thoughts and everyone looked at her "yes we saw him at the training fields he had a large scroll on his back."

"You three go home for now we will meet tomorrow in the morning," Asuma said dismissing the ANBU guy assuring him they would go "you said you saw him at the training fields with the scroll, right."

"Yes," Shikamaru said simply getting ready to leave.

"Okay then you three just go get something to eat or something," Kurenai said before turning and running in the direction of the Hokage tower.

"They will be too late," Naruto said, "by the time they all get dispatched to find him he will have left the village already we need to go and hold him off while we still can."

"Why should we, its not like its up to us to find him," Ino said looking at Naruto her eyes pleading him to not do it "come on we need to leave it to the Jonin.

"Well I'm going either way," Naruto started running towards their training fields it had been two hours since, so he wasn't sure he would still be there. Maybe he would be able to catch him by surprise and stop him all together I'm sure I've beat stronger people before.

It took him a while before he arrived at the training field they where at when they last saw him and headed past that where he saw him disappear. It was starting to get dark and he could barely see through the trees but his sharingan took in as much light as they could, and then he came to a small clearing that had an old hut that was falling apart. There was bound to be something in there maybe he hid it in there and ran or if he was just delivering it this was the spot.

He pushed the door open and a loud screeching sound filled his ears, and accumulated dust flew in his face and the darkness made it impossible to see the whole hut. He took a couple more steps in and felt around the room looking for furniture or maybe something that would be a clue. Naruto kicked something as he tried to circle around a desk and that was it the scroll right on his feet. He quickly grabbed it and ran outside he needed to get it back before Mizuki got back and caught him there, and he didn't know if he could take him in a one-on-one fight. As he made his way outside, he tripped on something and stumbled out the door his grip on the scroll loosened and he dropped it and it rolled open.

"Oh, shit why can't it just go right for me," Naruto growled to himself. What's this scroll even about and got close to it and started to read the first thing on the scroll.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu," Naruto read looking at the hand signs and the description of the technique, it was just like his wind clones, but they didn't explode pressurized air cutting through things. He was going to go to the next one, but he then heard someone coming so he grabbed the scroll and ran to the trees to hide behind.

"Damn those kids had to go and rat me out!" the exasperated voice of Mizuki said and Naruto could see his figure coming into the clearing, he kept cussing him and his team for telling on him to Asuma sensei. At least they were right and didn't just accuse him for no reason, but Naruto knew he had to get out of there before he got caught. He would wait for him to get to the hut and he would make a run for it but he never made it to the hut, and a large kunai made it's way towards him cutting through the bushes and Naruto threw himself on his back to avoid it.

"You got an enormous amount of chakra it was easy to spot you, you demon," Mizuki yelled at him and he got closer to him and Naruto could see him now "give me the scroll before I kill you kid, you and your team of brats already ruined my plans."

"Get away you traitor," Naruto said jumping to his feet and drawing his blade "what's the point of you stealing the scroll, you're too dumb to understand anything in it."

"Kid I will kill you, you are nothing, you are beneath me," he said rushing him and delivering a solid side kick to his abdomen hitting him against a large tree "you can't beat me I'll get rid of your body and be on my way."

Naruto held his stomach with his left and lifted his sword with his right trying to defend incase he got rushed again. Naruto quickly threw two shuriken before attempting to rush his opponent this time, but his sword was blocked by Mizuki's kunai and he tried to kick him again, but Naruto had pulled a kunai and stabbed the bottom of his opponents' foot.

'_This will slow him down a bit,'_ Naruto thought holding the kunai keeping his attacker in place and blocking with his sword. Naruto felt the slight victory ripped from his hands as a kick from his opponent's free leg contacted his chin sending him a few yards back. Mizuki was now on one hand a smug smirk plastered on his face, Mizuki quickly removed the kunai that was on his foot and threw it at Naruto and ran at him. Naruto did a quick backflip to avoid the kunai and his feet landed on the trunk and used it to propel himself forward and flipped over him and prepared the hand signs for his wind bullets.

"Earth style: Rock Spears," Mizuki said sending multiple rock spears interrupting Naruto's hand seals as he had to block them with his sword. Naruto landed on the ground and rolled backwards and once again prepared hand signs and released them making two clones each one went on a separate direction preparing for a pincer attack while Naruto would rush from the middle.

"Using clones to distract me or are they real," Mizuki taunted staying still making hand seals, but his sharingan caught on, he was going to use the same technique. But surprisingly he waited holding his ground until the last minute.

"Earth style: Multiple Rock Spears," multiple rock spears shot from the ground around him and his clones exploded sending the pressurized wind cutting through trees and bushes Naruto smiled believing his exploding clones would have cut him up, but "Earth style: Rock Pillar."

Naruto watched as Mizuki got thrown up in the air by a large pillar of stones avoiding his clones wind explosions. But this was his chance he wouldn't be able to move while in the air, so he sucked in some air preparing the hand seals.

"Wind style: Air Bullets," Naruto released the technique sending bullets at his opponent but as his attack hit, he vanished. "Oh no! a clone."

Naruto tried looking around to see where his opponent was at, but as he turned a fist connected with the right side of his face. His vision went blurry for a second but as his head collided with the floor it cleared once more, and he could see Mizuki standing over him. Man, this guy was good Naruto needed something he could use against him so far, the only successful thing was stabbing at his feet. Naruto watched as he picked up his sword and stood over him aiming his sword at his heart, but he stopped moving after that something stopped him mid strike.

"Wind style: Poison air bullets," Multiple explosions of colored smoke swallowed up Mizuki, and someone picked him up and dragged him away, he looked over his shoulder and saw Ino holding him by one arm and dragging him away from the poisoned air.

"You stupid kids," Mizuki roared as he struggled against what e believed to be Shikamaru's jutsu, moving slowly towards Naruto still holding his sword.

"Ino we need to stop him and get the scroll from him," Naruto said standing up on his own feet now, his eyes widened as he saw Mizuki rushing at them, so he pushed Ino out of the way and rolled under an incoming slash from his sword.

He rolled to a stop next to Ino who was getting up and pulled her arm to avoid another slash, Ino quickly threw a shuriken at him and they used his sword to block. But they used that opportunity to get away again, Naruto heard him cough raggedly purple smoke coming from his mouth. A kunai hit him straight on the chest and an explosion staggered him. Naruto formulated a plan and created three clones two of them rushed directly forward, one struck his stomach the other one swept his legs causing him to stumble onto his knees. The third one was supposed to connect wit his head and thankfully knock him out but Mizuki grabbed the large shuriken from his back and used it to stab at the Naruto clone which in turn exploded cutting him but nothing too serious not the effect he was hoping for.

"This guy won't go down," Ino said covering her face from the wind "Come on we need to get some distance."

"You're not going anywhere, Earth style: Earth Flow river," both got caught in what seemed to be a mud slide that dragged them closer to him. As they got to him Ino rolled and used her right arm to swing her body and used her leg to strike Mizuki on the inside of the knee causing him to stagger. He swung at her with his left hand, but Naruto used his right arm to block while simultaneously driving his sole into his chin.

"Naruto, Ino we need to get out of here," Shikamaru yelled from the tree line, Mizuki grabbed some rocks and threw them in the direction of Shikamaru's voice and created some hand seals.

"Earth style: Rock Shuriken," the rocks turned into Shuriken and made their way towards Shikamaru, a cry of pain sounded out as they hit their mark. Both Naruto and Ino got into a fighting stance, but Mizuki just smiled before rushing them, both tried to block but he just bypassed their defenses. Hitting Ino with a heavy back hand making her collapse and slamming Naruto on the ground by his neck, and applied pressure choking him. Through tears he saw a sadistic smile form on his lips and behind him an injured Shikamaru holding a kunai above his head ready to strike but his hands where shaking.

"Die, die, die already," Mizuki yelled as he applied more pressure into his neck, then the kunai make down on his back. Mizuki turned his head slowly and acknowledged Shikamaru before delivering a powerful elbow knocking him back a few yards before turning his attention back to him and hitting him with a right and then a left and right again.

His ears began to ring, and his vision blurred, blood started to flow from his nose and mouth, and he stopped struggling. He was too dazed this reminded him of a few training sessions he had before, but he might die. Mizuki had now shifted his attention to Shikamaru who was struggling to get up, Naruto saw the killing intent that he had there's no way he will spare him now.

'_You know I can easily kill him right,' _the deep rumbling voice of the fox told him, and while Naruto knew it was trued he didn't want to do that or a lot more people could get hurt _'come on I just want to kill that guy, if you don't let me he will kill your friends.'_

Naruto tried to get his hands to work but the ringing and pain made it hard for him to focus on getting up to help. Naruto could see Shikamaru's retreating shape as he crawled backwards and to his left, he could see Ino slowly stirring after being hit as hard as she did, he wasn't surprised. Mizuki slowly made his way to Shikamaru, and he couldn't just stay put and let Shikamaru be killed so he used whatever strength he had to crawl after them.

'_Why are you doing this the hard way just let me finish him off,' _again the fox wanted to let him go lose but there was no way he could let that happen _'You rather let your friend die?'_

Shadows danced around his vision and Mizuki was directly on top of Shikamaru, and maybe just maybe the fox was right. Naruto's heart was racing, the taste of blood flooding his mouth and the feeling of despair took him over as he used the last ounces of strength to rise to his knees and yell out hoping for someone to help. And as soon as Mizuki's fist descended, a powerful kick threw him backwards past Naruto. Strong hands caught him before he collapsed, and his blurry vision focused revealing the smiling face of Asuma.

"I got you brat," Asuma said helping him stand up, Naruto looked around seeing as more and more Jonin appeared "I guess you were right."

Naruto watched as multiple ninja restrained Mizuki and took him away, Ino came too and so had Shikamaru. They were all sent to the hospital to get examined and out of the way of the Jonin so they could deal with the traitor and they finally rested.

Mizuki

Ninjutsu: 3

Taijutsu: 3

Genjutsu: 2.5

Intelligence: 3

Strength: 3

Speed: 3.5

Stamina: 2.5

Hand seals: 3

Total: 23.5

**That's the chapter I made Mizuki stronger since I feel like he was so pathetic, so I just made him more interesting, plus I feel like since he was asked to get the scroll by Orochimaru so I'm sure he saw his potential hope you liked the chapter. Let me know your thoughts.**

**David out**


	10. Missions

Missions

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto**

Naruto's (POV)

"Naruto you did a good job stopping Mizuki," Hiruzen said his face showing a proud smile. Iruka who was sitting next to him had a similar expression, something that annoyed him. And yet there was a small feeling of satisfaction knowing that he had done a good job. Over the last two years he had trained to stand above all else in hopes to one day prove the old man right.

For some reason the third Hokage had an unwavering belief that he was good and that he was worthy of his aid. While Naruto hated to admit it, he liked knowing that not everyone was against him, and it all started after he finally fought for his freedom from the shackles of his masters.

"Naruto the scroll of sealing contains many secret and dangerous jutsu that could be disastrous for the hidden leaf," Iruka said in a serious tone "And a few that are dangerous to the people who try to use them."

"I believe you should be able to implement the shadow clone jutsu with your exploding wind clones," the third Hokage said.

"What even is so dangerous about that clone jutsu that you have to seal it away," Naruto asked.

"The shadow clone jutsu makes a physical copy of you that you can use as a scout with its own mind that at the same time is connected to the host so anything they learn you will also learn after they have been dispersed," Iruka said thinking "the clones you can create will divide the chakra one posses into the bodies of the clones."

"So, if anyone who doesn't have large reserves of chakra can easily lose it by creating a single clone," Naruto restated "this could leave them powerless in the battlefield."

"Worse," the third Hokage said "it can cost enough chakra to kill the ninja, another great advantage is that since the chakra is evenly shared between the clones and the host the clones are undistinguishable even to any dojutsu."

"I see why they it is a forbidden jutsu," Naruto said fully understanding the benefits and consequences but also realizing that the large amount of chakra from the nine tails should be more than enough to make the clones.

"I'm sure you realized why I brought it up Naruto," the Hokage said shuffling some papers before speaking again "while no official mission was issued to stop Mizuki the classification of one would be ranked as a B ranked mission, so congratulations on completing your first mission, you and your Ninja squad are ahead of the rest of your peers."

"Are we getting paid for it?" Naruto asked receiving only a head shake from Iruka "then the mission doesn't really count."

"While you might have not received a monetary reward for it, you have earned something just as valuable," the elder Homura spoke "you will have gained some credibility as a ninja of the hidden leaf which is sure to help with the people."

While Naruto knew that it wouldn't help him one bit since he already knew that the villagers somehow believe that he was a part of Mizuki's plans. He had been harassed on his way here as a matter of fact, so he just brushed it off.

"Can I go now? I'm supposed to meet with my team soon," Naruto said trying his hardest to not sound annoyed. But before he got his answer the doors where blasted open a large cloud of smoke covering the arrival of a small silhouette with a loud yell.

Naruto quickly moved against the figure, with a swift kick to the stomach the assailant was thrown against the wall. Naruto quickly drew his kunai knifes and dashed at the kid responsible for this attack if it could even be called that. Before he could deliver the finishing blow, he was kicked back, he managed to block the kick enough to simply be sent back a few feet.

"Stay away from the Honorable grandson you monster," a ninja in a standard Jonin uniform stood protectively of the kid who had tried to attack the Hokage.

"Ebisu calm down, I'm sure that Naruto only meant to protect the Hokage," Iruka said sternly standing up ready to prevent any further hostilities.

"I had him if it wasn't for you," the little kid said, he was wearing a grey helmet with a whole on the top where his brown hair poked out from, with a yellow shirt and a long blue scarf that.

"Sorry to say this kid but you had no shot at taking the Hokage," Naruto said putting away his kunai "I'm leaving, see you old man."

As Naruto left the Hokage's building he noticed that he needed to get a new pair of clothes since he was now a full-fledged ninja and his current outfit was looking a little worse for wear. So, he headed for a ninja shop where he knew he wouldn't have any problems at, it was at the edge of town somewhat sketchy, but he had been there before.

"Hey kid you came to buy some gear again?" the old shop keep asked from behind the counter however didn't wait for a response before continuing his line of questions "I heard that you tried to help destroy the village again? Is it true?"

"You really think I would still be here and alive?" Naruto asked sarcastically heading towards the back of the store where the ninja clothing was located at "anyway I need to get a new uniform, this one isn't going to last much longer."

"Whatever you know where to find them," he said returning his attention to a book, but not before a few words escaped his lips "I knew they were lying."

Naruto looked through some clothes before landing on a bright orange and blue jacket with a white collar, a white swirl with a tassel on the left side, and a red Uzumaki crest on the back. It caught his attention not because he might want it but because he couldn't believe that someone might buy something like this. He liked orange for an unknown reason but being a ninja meant one needed to blend in and use the element of surprise, scoffing he pushed though it and set his eyes on an opposite yet similar jacket.

It was black with a single long orange stripe that started on the shoulder and ended at the cuffs of the sleeve. But the right sleeve of the jacket had thick leather layers that would protect his sword arm, after he turned it, he noticed that this jacket also had the red Uzumaki crest on its back. He grabbed a pair of black pants and sandals and headed into the changing room. Naruto strapped his short sword on his back adjusting it so that his family crest was not obstructed, his kunai holster was strapped to his right knee and his ninja tool pouch secure on his back.

"That looks good on you kid," the old shop keeper said, and Naruto could not object, it felt and looked good.

"I'll take it," Naruto said quickly pulling out a frog wallet and pulling out the cash to pay "I have to go can you please get rid of my old stuff?"

"No problem and be careful someone has been waiting outside for you."

Naruto quickly saw that a section of the fence in front of the shop was wrong meaning a bad camouflage was being used. But he tried his best to ignore it and continued to head towards where his squad's training field was located. But no matter how much he walked he kept feeling the presence of the kid following him, tiered of this he turned around and kicked a weird looking rock that the kid was now using as camouflage. The small yelp of surprise rang out as the child he had seen earlier at the Hokage's building fell out of the rock.

"You are good," the kid said pointing a small finger at him "I challenge you to a fight, you made me look like a fool in front of the Hokage and my sensei."

"Kid you're no match for me, and I'm late I need to meet up with my squad," Naruto said trying to continue walking, but stopped to block a kick using only his right arm. But he grabbed his assailants' leg with his left leg and threw him over his shoulder Infront of him. "Stop before I hurt you kid."

The kid drew a kunai with an ice pick grip and dashed towards him, Naruto kicked away the kid's knife and used the back of his knee to hook behind the kid's neck pulling him to the ground face first. Naruto continued to walk trying to ignore the kid's attempt to taunt him.

"If I cant beat you now then I will never become the Hokage," the kid pulled out some shuriken and threw them trying to use them as cover as he tried to rush him "you will fall before me."

Naruto easily blocked the shuriken and used his right hand to grab the kid's wrist twisting inwards and pulling the kids arm behind his back. Using his feet, he put him on the ground, hitting his face and drawing a few drops of blood.

"Listen kid you can't just keep attacking without a plan," Naruto said trying to get the kid to stop he was already running late.

"My teacher said I was strong, he prepared me to fight the toughest of opponents," the kid said fighting to be released from his grasp "he said he was teaching me all the shortcuts to becoming Hokage."

"You need to know that there are no shortcuts kid," Naruto said releasing him and quickly dodging a kick and returning one of his own.

"I will become the Hokage you will see," the kid rushed him once more trying for a high kick, but Naruto steeped inside his strike zone and simply pushed him over.

"Hey that demon child is attacking the third Hokage's grandchild," a voice said from around him followed closely by multiple other voices calling him a monster.

"What demon?" the third Hokage's grandchild said looking around, and then their eyes met, and Naruto could see a hint of understanding. And Naruto understood the kids need to prove himself as more than just the third Hokage's grandchild, just as much as his need to prove that he wasn't a demon, their paths where polar opposites.

"Go away demon," Naruto heard a woman yell and a rock hit the back of your head.

"Yeah we know you tried to help Mizuki take something valuable from the village," another man said joined by more and more people as they all hurled strings of insults, with several other things.

"Kid just know there are no shortcuts to anything," Naruto said before leaving making his way towards the training field.

"My name is Konohamaru!" he heard over the crowd's relentless wave of insults. Naruto was getting farther but this time Konohamaru didn't follow and the crowd died down and dispersed. He arrived shortly at the training field and it seems that he wasn't the only one who was late maybe they all had to deal with their own mob.

Ino (POV)

"You guys, we are famous now," Ino said flipping her hair as she arrived at the training field.

"It's such a drag," Shikamaru said slumping his body against the large tree in their training field "my mother wouldn't shut up about me being a hero."

"Must be nice for you guys," Ino turned her attention towards Naruto who looked dirty, his bandages and clothing had some blood.

"What happened to you?" Ino asked now running to him searching his head for more injuries and removed the bandages. She could see the anger that resided in his bright red eyes, it had been a while since the villagers had messed with him this badly, so she was surprised to see him like this "the villagers?"

"Yeah, they somehow believe that he was aiding Mizuki," Asuma sensei said arriving at the field.

"You're late," Shikamaru said barely opening his eyes to acknowledge their teacher's arrival.

"Let's go get a mission now that you guys are full-fledged ninjas," Asuma sensei said starting to make his way to the academy.

"So, what was the point of us meeting in the training field," Ino asked extremely annoyed at this point "why did I have to be put in his squad?"

"I was just there," Naruto said and Ino could pick up in the annoyance he felt.

Naruto grabbed his bandages nevertheless and placed it on his eyes once more before following Asuma sensei Shikamaru followed suit and Ino was alone in the training field. She needed to find a way to help Naruto integrate better with the village, so he doesn't get attacked like this anymore. She shook her head and followed her team she wasn't going to be left behind.

"What happened to you Naruto?" the third Hokage asked, but she was sure that he already knew the answer.

"It was just a small scuffle," Naruto responded his head was hung low and his posture was sluggish something that was unusual for him.

"Well what do you have for us Lord Hokage?" Asuma sensei asked re-directing the conversation.

"Here are the missions your team has been assigned," the Hokage gave sensei a scroll and when he opened the scroll his face seemed to drop, and she was already dreading what was coming. Asuma quickly fixed his face and bowed motioning them to follow suit then they left.

"We have the Nara clan to thank for our first mission," Asuma sensei said reading the scroll "we are to clean deer and their pens."

"What kind of job is that?" Ino said already feeling dirty.

"Let's get it over with already," Naruto said already walking in the direction of the Nara compound.

It had been hours since they started working and the deer were clean, and the pens where the only thing left to do. Naruto had worked quiet for most of the time, while he was never an outspoken person, he was never this quiet. She had worked with him at the flower shop before her father would read his mind, so she knew that he wasn't always this quiet.

"Asuma sensei can we take a break," Ino asked looking for Asuma's approval, he nodded from his seat on the railing of the pen, he nodded lighting yet another cigarette.

"Finally," Shikamaru said dropping his shovel, he walked over to the base of a tree and laid down. But Naruto had disappeared as soon as they had their approval to rest so she didn't have an opportunity to ask him what was bothering him.

"Sensei do you know what's wrong with Naruto?" Ino asked approaching their sensei.

"Well I think it has something to do with the fact that he was attacked again," Asuma sensei responded matter of fact "not everyone believes that he is the hero who stopped Mizuki"

"But he was, if not for him Mizuki would have been long gone," Ino tried to reason.

"Don't tell me about it," Asuma sensei responded, "you three did a great job, especially Naruto he did what he thought right, but the people still ignore him, blame him for it and attack him maybe that's why he's been off today."

"That makes sense except that he should be used to it by now," Ino responded.

"Do you really think that someone can get used to be alienated like that for so long?" Asuma asked looking up at the sky "on top of that he has no one to look after him, or anyone that would understand him."

"What do you mean he has plenty of friends in the academy," Ino responded thinking of all the students of the academy, or at least the few that didn't outright hate him.

"You see while he might know of a few people and even befriended them, do any of you know what he's really gone through?" Asuma asked letting the question linger for a second before continuing "he spent most of his life a slave to bad people, add a little abuse from the village he has been asked to serve, and most people would be ready to throw in the towel."

"He is right Ino, many of us have tried to befriend him and help him," Shikamaru said coming over to join their conversation "but we will never be able to understand him because we will never experience what he did, or anything close to him."

"So, you do care about him Shikamaru?" Ino asked surprised that he took time from his rest to talk to them "as a matter of fact where did he go?"

"More importantly where did the deer go?" Asuma sensei pointed out, and Ino couldn't help but realize that the field was empty and the deer they had cleaned where all gone.

"You guys should see this," an older looking Shikamaru said from a branch of a nearby tree, Ino had to do a double take and saw that his teammate was next to her. Then she realized it was Shikamaru's father, her father had worked closely with him before. Quickly all three of them climbed their way up the tree to join him and she saw something she never would have imagined.

In the center of the clearing was Naruto in a seated meditating pose, eyes closed, and his chest was moving steadily. Even though she had never thought of him as someone who meditated, but what was unbelievable was that around him all the deer had sat around him and where just resting.

"He seems to have a very good connection to nature," Shikaku said his body resting back against the trunk "seeing this makes it hard to believe he used to be in our bingo book."

"He was also in the black market," Asuma sensei said lighting a cigarette, Ino was confused she didn't know what this bingo book thing was "five million ryo I do believe."

"What are you guys talking about?" Ino asked "and what is a bingo book."

"Yes, Naruto was in the bingo book, well he didn't have a name or a proper picture," Asuma sensei said "the bingo book contains the names and information of rouge ninja from hidden villages as well as some unknowns if they are dangerous enough, and then there is the black markets book."

"You mean criminals?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yes, most of them are criminals, but some may be just like Naruto," Shikaku said his eyes closed "he was taken at such a young age, trained and used as a weapon. He didn't know what was right or wrong all he did was follow orders, and while he did do bad things he was being used."

"I wasn't implying that Naruto was a criminal," Shikamaru said defensively but his father just let out a slight chuckle "we really don't know anything about Naruto."

"You guys can deal with it later we just need to finish this job," Asuma sensei said finishing his cigarette "go wake him up and let's finish the rest of the deer pens."

Ino quickly made her way down the tree and silently made her way towards Naruto weaving through the deer to avoid waking them. She couldn't help but admire how peaceful he looked and while she hated to disturb him, they had a job to finish.

"I'll go back right now," Naruto said his voice just above a whisper, regardless of how low his voice was she was startled. Naruto stood and the deer began to stir, Ino couldn't help but feel bad that she had interrupted their sleep. Naruto quickly followed Ino back to the pen and as she looked over her shoulder, she could see deer were all following him.

"What a drag," Shikamaru said as joined them at the pens. As they worked Ino couldn't stop thinking about what Asuma sensei and Shikamaru's father said. And the idea of him killing sounded absurd after she had seen Naruto with the deer.

"That took a while," Asuma sensei said placing his hands behind his head as they walked back through the village towards their next job.

"Let me guess, another manual labor job?" Naruto said from a few paces behind them, Asuma sensei simply chuckled and nodded "I'll meet you guys at the location."

"No let's get something to eat first," Ino tried to say but he was already gone, and a small group of villagers approach them giving them praise on stopping Mizuki. But Ino knew the truth, Shikamaru and her didn't do much compared to Naruto.

"Thanks but really we didn't do anything, Naruto did all the work," Shikamaru tried saying but the villagers seemed stuck in their idea of him being the bad guy "I promise you he was the only one who wanted to stop him."

They cleaned and organized the village archives next; it was sad that all that knowledge was just sitting there collecting dust. Ino attempted to make conversation with Naruto but he seemed lost in the books and his own thoughts. Shikamaru wasn't much better just sneaking away and sleeping until she would find him and yell at him.

"What a drag," Shikamaru would say and start cleaning.

"Let's get this over with," Asuma said coming back from a 'smoke break'.

"We're done," Naruto said putting away the last couple of books in his hands.

"Oh Naruto, you where sent on a mission here," a girl a few years older than them asked, she had blond hair and large round glasses. She spoke to Naruto with a familiarity that made her slightly envious, she had worked with him on many occasions at the flower shop and she couldn't remember her being mentioned.

"Yes Shiho, me and my team are stuck doing D rank missions," Naruto said, and Ino could see the edges of his mouth, not quite a smile "however we are leaving now, perhaps I'll come back when I'm able."

"Who was that?" Asuma asked, his curiosity clearly peaked "a girlfriend of some kind?"

"I spend a lot of time alone in here learning what I can," Naruto said as they headed towards the entrance "And she has helped me, she works here since her team mates had died but she is still a ninja."

"what's the next mission sensei? Or are we done for the day?" Shikamaru asked hopefully but he was quickly disappointed as Asuma Sensei opened the mission scroll he was given this morning.

"Well you will be pleased to hear that we only have one more mission left for today," Asuma sensei said a small smile on his face "we need to help at the academy with some clean up."

"But we have just left the academy why do we need to go back," Ino complained pulling at her hair, she noticed that Shikamaru had a similar expression. Naruto however appeared to not be bothered by this, his face blank of any emotion.

"Let's just get it done," is the only thing he said making his way towards the academy.

"But we will eat first Naruto," Asuma said his voice leaving zero room for negotiation Naruto simply nodded "we can even go to that ramen place you like."

They where welcomed warmly and they all took seats on the counter, Ayame took their orders and made a quick comment about Naruto's new outfit. Ino once again noticed that Naruto's lips betrayed him showing the slightest of a smile.

"Naruto I've been meaning to ask you about the new outfit as well," Ino asked "it looks good even though its dirty now."

"Thanks," was his simple response.

"What happened this morning?" Ino asked hoping for an answer that was longer than a word.

"Just a small fight," he said once more shutting down the conversation.

"But what happened," Shikamaru asked from his other side "we want to help."

Not as subtle as she would have liked but at least he understood that it was their chance to try and talk to him. While they were all at the academy Shikamaru was one of the few people that Naruto talked to while the rest would just brush him off or treated him like a monster. Another one who seemed to be able to communicate with him was Sasuke, not like they would ever talk but they fought constantly, and that exchange seemed to always help when both seemed down.

"It was the grandson of the third Hokage," Naruto said after a few moments of silence "he tried to attack the Hokage as a prank I can only assume, but when I stopped him but he followed me after and kept challenging me."

"He did it in public and people misunderstood I'm assuming," Ino said slightly angry that the villagers still seem to have it out for him "they probably accused you of aiding Mizuki too."

A simple nod was his response, but his face had a different expression, while his eyes where still cover his expression seem sad. The stiffness of his lips wavering, and his shoulders seemed to sag on him as he sat there waiting for the ramen. She had never really seen any other emotion other than anger on him but now he seemed so vulnerable.

They received ramen shortly after, the smell and taste were delicious she had tried it before, and it had also been with Naruto, but it felt different. Maybe it had to do that they were teammates now and she didn't know much about him before, she still didn't know everything, but she will learn more and they would learn more and be able to help him.

Shikamaru's POV

Ramen wasn't his favorite food, but it was good, and they were almost done with their missions for the day. He wasn't sure why they had gotten three missions on their first day, and they were long one's too all the cleaning and storing just time consuming for three people to do. And now they had to go back to the academy and clean up after some new kids, and Naruto had been angry the whole day understandably so.

"Naruto, I know you've had many problems and were here for you," Shikamaru said trying to sound convincing, it's not like wasn't. He had tried to be there for him, when he was attacked by the villagers or at the academy.

"I know," was all he heard Naruto was never one for words always keeping to himself unless necessary "you have."

Shikamaru felt happy knowing that his attempts to help were well received and quite honestly glad that he wasn't insulted, a person with such a strong sense of self reliance can feel insulted. Ino seemed happy which was good since she had been such a pain in his ass all day. A small feeling of dread filled him as they approached the academy, all those years of leaning to be a ninja and all those hard lessons. Yet there were some good things like seeing Naruto wipe that smug expression of Sasuke's face after beating him in taijutsu practice and pulling pranks on Iruka sensei with Choji and Kiba.

"You've finally arrived," Iruka sensei said emerging from the main building "your job will be easy just watch over the troublemakers that volunteered to help."

"So, we don't have to do anything?" Shikamaru asked getting exited about the prospect of laying back and telling kids what to do.

"Well you need to tell them what to do and make sure they don't try and disappear," Iruka sensei said with a small on his lips "there are five kids that are in trouble and they are already in the gym starting to clean."

"They're not there, anymore are they?" Naruto asked Iruka sensei, he responded with a simple smile "lets go before we lose them."

"Naruto you haven't used the jutsu the third Hokage told you about?" Iruka sensei asked, Shikamaru didn't know what he meant "you could have finished your missions faster, that's why the Hokage assigned those missions to your team."

"What jutsu?" Asuma sensei asked.

"Shadow clone jutsu," Naruto said nonchalant.

"That's a dangerous jutsu," Asuma sensei said, "it can kill you if you exhaust too much chakra."

"What is so special of this jutsu?" Ino asked, he was wondering the same thing.

"I will show you," Naruto said before making the hand seals, a small cloud of smoke covered him and once it dispersed there were five Naruto's "they all have physical forms and chakras of their own, and once they disperse I get their memories."

"How'd you learn that jutsu?" Asuma sensei asked an impressed look in his face.

"It was in the sealing scroll Mizuki tried to steal," all Naruto clones answered "I saw it and with the sharingan I memorized it, Kakashi said it was normal for sharingan users to learn jutsu and other types of techniques".

"More importantly why didn't you use it to help us sooner?" Shikamaru asked, he wouldn't let Naruto do all the work, but it would be helpful "you could have been able to finish our missions faster."

"And let him do all the work?" Ino asked anger clearly rising in her voice.

"I was just kidding," Shikamaru said turning away and scratching the back of his head "what a drag."

"The kids are getting away as you speak," Asuma sensei said bringing them back to the mission at hand "Lets split up and get them, one Naruto clone can be paired up with each one of us to keep each other informed to know if you caught or found one of the kids."

"There are four of us and five of them," Ino mentioned.

"Don't worry we will just catch them one at a time," Asuma sensei said, "and I'm sure that when we bring them back Iruka will keep an eye on them."

With that the four teams of two dispersed, Shikamaru was never a very good tracker but he knew that troublemakers had patterns. When running from school they wanted to go slack of to eat or rest and what better place than an unused training field, no one expects you to be there. He headed towards the school's training field it was a short distance, so he decided to walk much to the complaint of Naruto's clone.

"If You're a Naruto clone shouldn't you be quieter?" Shikamaru asked annoyed at Naruto's clone, or maybe he just wasn't used to him being so talkative.

"Each of us have our own individual personalities," the clone said, "I assume I'm more talkative than him, but we have the same mind".

"So, you know everything about him?" Shikamaru asked, thinking that maybe he could get some information from him.

"Well yes but I don't think he would be very happy if he found out I told you anything," the Naruto clone said putting his hands behind his neck, his previous carefree demeanor gone.

"I can hear someone up ahead," Shikamaru said before climbing up a tree that would give him good vision on the training field. He was right, fighting against a wooden dummy was a young kid with a grey helmet and his hair came out the top like a pineapple. The kid's movements where sloppy, each strike was separate from the last, of course he had already received the academy's training and this kid was new.

"Kid you need to go back to the academy and clean," Shikamaru yelled startling the kid enough to make him fall.

"Who are you?" the kid asked getting up from the ground into a defensive stance "And how did you find me?"

"This is the kid who got the real me into trouble earlier and we need to hurry up and take him back, the others where already captured," the Naruto clone said, "do we just beat this one up and take him back?"

"No, I'll deal with this inform the others I got the last one," Shikamaru said before pulling a kunai out and stabbing the clone making it disappear in a cloud of smoke "now listen here kid, you are going to go back to the academy and finish cleaning."

"I'm busy training," the kid said pulling out a kunai from his leg pouch "I guess you'll help me train."

"Kid I do not want to have to beat you up, but one way or another you're going back to finish cleaning, and while you're at it you will apologize to Naruto for causing him trouble," Shikamaru said making his way from the tree and got on ground level with the kid who tried to rush him but Shikamaru was smarter than that.

He jumped back avoiding his first wild strike while sweeping the kids leg, but he caught him by the wrist and twisting outwards disarming the kid. A slight yelp of pain escaped him before he twisted his body attempting to kick him in the face which Shikamaru dodged it, this however got the kid deeper into an armlock.

"Naruto is already dealing with a lot, he doesn't need a spoiled brat getting him into trouble," Shikamaru said shoving him "Now let's go to the academy and clean, you will learn about how to be a ninja in the academy, don't try to rush things kid."

"My name is Konohamaru," he said turning and heading towards the academy "and I'm not a kid, just you wait I'll beat you up once I get stronger."

"This is such a drag," Shikamaru said walking behind the kid making sure that he wouldn't try anything.

"I didn't know what everyone thought about him," Konohamaru said stopping in his tracks "he is strong I can tell by the way the ninja reacted when he stopped me, my sensei and even Iruka looked tense, the same look people get when they come across a threat."

"So, you thought you would fight him to prove yourself?" Shikamaru asked not sure why he cared about the kid's little story.

"I wasn't just trying to prove myself I wanted to learn, but I learned how people act when they don't know something," Konohamaru said turning to face him "the villagers don't see him as a ninja but as a threat and I want to learn from him because he understands that people aren't just what we see in the surface, or the name that we have."

Shikamaru recalled all the times kids at the academy would try to bully Naruto because of what their parents told them not knowing who he really was. The times the villagers had attacked him because of their fear, unaware of his own fear. Konohamaru continued his walk back towards the academy.

"What took you so long?" Ino said as they arrived at the academy, Shikamaru saw that the other four kids where bruised up.

"You're lucky that I got to you and not them," Shikamaru said pointing at his friends "Get to cleaning."

Shikamaru saw as the kid walked past him and towards Naruto a few words where exchanged and he could tell that it was probably an apology. Naruto shared a look before finding a seat as they oversaw them cleaning and putting stuff away. Being a ninja was such a drag.

**Hello guys I'm sorry for taking forever to update, I was just busy had to move, enjoy the chapter and have a good day. I also just saw Weathering With You, and it is pretty good didn't make me cry like Your Name, but still good let me know your thoughts.**

**David out. **


	11. The Land Of Waves

10\. The Land of Waves

Naruto's POV

"I heard it took you guys forever to finish your mission yesterday," the smug voice of Sakura said clearly taunting Ino "we finished our mission in record time because of Sasuke."

"I bet you didn't even do anything useful," Ino responded in a similarly taunting tone "at least I was able to actually do something during our missions, while you probably just relied on Sasuke."

"It's too early for this, Ino don't listen to her," Shikamaru said sounding as annoyed as he looked "come on Naruto aren't you going to tell her something?"

"We were just told to wait for Asuma here, we don't need any unnecessary trouble," Naruto simply responded adjusting the bandages over his eyes.

The sun had yet to rise but they had been called to the academy, but he didn't know that any other team had been called as well. Naruto was sitting on a bench across from Shikamaru while Ino now stood face to face with Sakura.

"Only you would be so disrespectful," Sasuke responded much to Naruto's annoyance, he always sounded like he was better than everyone "they are our teachers and we should treat them as such."

"Yeah let him have it Sasuke!" Sakura yelled encouraging him.

"I don't like the way you're talking to me," Naruto asked standing up, Naruto had only lost to Sasuke once in the academy "care to try your luck?"

Naruto looked over to see Shikamaru was still sitting but his demeaner had changed, his hands where ready for his signature shadow binding.

"Guys don't fight," the small voice of Hinata said as their team approached.

"Not without us at least," Kiba said followed by a small yelp from Akamaru.

"It's okay Kiba, Sasuke would need your help to fight me," Naruto said

"No one is fighting," Asuma said as the three Jonin from each team arrived "you where all summoned here so you can all identify everyone who made it from your class."

"As you can all see there is only three teams and today is your second day as a genin," Kakashi said without looking up from his book "the mission or missions you received were assigned to identify strengths and weaknesses of each team."

"While the current mission level is low pay it is to help train you," Kurenai said her "once the Hokage deems it appropriate you will receive different missions."

"Now that, that's settled team ten on me," Asuma said before walking off.

"What was the whole point of this?" Naruto heard Shikamaru ask under his breath before following along with Ino and himself.

The team made their way towards the Hokage tower as the people of the village seemed to be getting up. The Hokage and the village elders where waiting for them outside of the Hokage's tower, but there was someone else along with them.

"Lord third, Elders," Asuma said with a slight bow.

"Team ten, we have a mission we need you to do," the Third Hokage said, however Naruto could see it in the eyes of the elders, they didn't want team ten on this "it's a C ranked mission so it shouldn't be too hard and I'm sure your team can handle it."

"What kind of mission?" Naruto asked, he wasn't one to complain but he was tiered of the cleaning missions.

"You will be escorting a builder and keeping him safe till the bridge is built," The third Hokage said "Mr. Tazuna this is the team that will be escorting you."

"They're just a bunch of kids they wont even be able to stop a wild animal," the man said coming forwards from behind the elders "but this man should do the trick, that's the sash from the fire daimyo's guardian ninja?"

"Yes, it is," Asuma responded standing up a little straighter, obviously liking the compliment.

"But the blind kid better pull his weight."

"He's not blind, sir," Ino responded defending Naruto.

"You will be leaving in an hour so ensure that you have what you need," the third Hokage said, before Naruto left, he overheard the Hokage asked him to stay, maybe the mission wasn't all that straight forward.

An hour later they were all standing ready at the south gate Naruto really didn't have much stuff to take but he made sure he had some food and weapons. Ino was accompanied to the gates by her father, who had a proud look on his face however his face turned to one of disgust after seeing Naruto. Shikamaru's father was there as well and gave him a nod.

'_I guess it was an important day, the first day their children leave the village for a mission,' Naruto thought wondering if anyone would be proud of him. _

"You guys are going on a mission? Outside the city?" Sasuke asked from the back of a wagon he seemed to be inspecting.

"Yes, keep the village safe while were out," Naruto asked trying not to look so happy at the angry look on his face "maybe I'll be able to teach you something when we return."

"Shut it Naruto, Sasuke will be stronger than you since we will be training harder than ever," Sakura said with a smug look on her face.

"Why are you too always picking on Naruto?" Choji asked to defuse any rising conflict.

"Naruto are you ready? Or would you like to stay behind with team seven?" Asuma asked a mischievous smile on his face.

"No, I'm coming," Naruto responded.

"Naruto stay safe out there," Kakashi said and Naruto noticed him for the first time, his gaze never leaving his naughty book.

"Naruto we're leaving," Ino yelled, and Naruto saw as she made faces to Sakura and he followed as they all exited the gates headed south.

Most of their time was spent silent and the sun was now directly above them, making many of the animals seek shelter in the shade of the trees. But Naruto stayed vigilant remembering the Hokage calling out to Asuma and warning him about additional dangers. Naruto chose to take lead with Ino and Shikamaru on either side of Tazuna, and Asuma kept the rear.

"Naruto why must you always pick a fight with Sasuke?" Ino asked clearly oblivious that she had her facts wrong.

But before he could correct her a loud splash came from behind him along with the sounds of attacking ninja. Naruto turned intime to see as Asuma get trapped by chains from two ninja, their faces covered with a head bands from the village hidden in the mist, the chain was connected to each ninja via gauntlets with claws. Naruto rushed forward to help but was too slow as the two-ninja pulled on the chains which in turn ripped into the flesh of Asuma ripping him apart. Ino cried out is surprise and fear but the attacking ninja didn't waist time and came charging at them.

"Triangle formation," Naruto called out drawing his blade, while Shikamaru and Ino got ready to fight behind him on either side. While the attacking ninja crossed each other attempting to confuse them but Naruto took this opportunity to charge. Aiming his sword at one of the chains and stabbed his sword into the ground pinning them down.

"Nice!" Ino exclaimed.

But after noticing what he did the Ninja shifted their attack and rushed at Naruto, who in turn threw himself on the air narrowly avoiding their claws. They attempted to turn towards the bridge builder and his teammates but where now stuck and Shikamaru was to blame as their shadows where now connected. Followed closely by Ino's balls of poisonous gas enveloping them in multiple colored gas, Naruto followed it up by throwing some paper bombs and infusing them with chakra.

"Butterfly paper bomb jutsu," multiple explosive tags turned into butterflies and flew into the poisonous gas cloud exploding at his command.

"You guys are good I guess," Tazuna said taking a swig of his waterskin.

Their victory was short lived as he saw the figures of the attacking ninja come from the smoke, their chain now released. The two attacking ninja had multiple burn injuries, but they ignored him and they both charged Ino and Shikamaru.

"Shadow clone jutsu," Naruto created two clones and threw them both, while on the air the two clones weaved their own hand signs.

"Wind style, Wind Gale Palm," both clones gathered a concentrated mass of swirling wind and pressed it at the backs of the two ninjas, but as the clones made contact the ninjas exploded into water.

One of Naruto's clones was dissipated as one of the attacking ninjas stabbed him with his gauntlet, while the other was blocked by the clone's sword. The free one continued his attack charging towards Shikamaru, but before he could strike the back of his head was stuck by Asuma drilling the face of the attacking Ninja to the ground. After a quick exchange the second ninja dissipated the remaining clone, and attacked Asuma with a low swing who in turn avoided the swing by lifting his leg and bringing it down pinning his gauntlet down, and knocking him out with a swift kick to the temples.

"Asuma sensei you're alive," Ino said clearly relieved yet confused.

"You guys did well, quick thinking and Naruto you did well taking command," Asuma said.

Naruto saw that the remains that were left from Asuma were only pieces of wood, the remains of a substitution.

"Naruto send a clone to inform the Hokage to send someone from the village to retrieve them," Asuma said tying them up to a tree with their own chains "we must keep moving these were skilled ninja we don't know what else lay in wait."

"Asuma sensei how did you know we were going to be attacked?" Ino asked as they all continued their way leaving behind two clones one that would watch over the bodies while the other one would inform the Hokage.

"Well it has been a hot the last couple of days and no rain however there where some puddles of water," Asuma said pointing behind them "also paying attention to the surrounding area can help you know that something is wrong like the un natural silence."

They continued their way south the land of waves, but they were all more cautious looking out for any new threats. Maybe this is what the Hokage had warned Asuma about there is something the old builder isn't saying about this mission.

"So, what's so special about this bridge you're building?" Naruto asked trying to figure out why skilled ninja would be sent to kill him.

"It will be beneficial to our land, improve our economy," Tazuna said simply.

"But why would anyone want to kill you if you are doing a good thing for your lands," Ino asked.

"Well they were from a different village, so we don't know what they want and who hired them," Asuma said his tone flat letting them know that the discussion was over.

Naruto could feel something off about their surroundings, the land around him was beginning to fog up and shadows seemed to dance around his vision. He looked back at the rest of his teammates and saw that they had all noticed this. The un natural silence that Asuma had mentioned before was there no birds or any animal for that matter made any noise.

"Get down!" Asuma yelled and they all did as he commanded as a large sword flew past them spinning in a wild frenzy. Sticking itself to a large tree, it was an executioner's blade and the blade of one of the seven swordsmen of the hidden mist. Seconds later a tall and noticeably muscular man with light grayish skin, short spiky black hair and dark brown eyes appeared on top of the sword with his back to them.

"That's Zabuza, the demon of the blood mist village," Naruto said standing up drawing his sword, followed by the rest of his team.

"A so one of the children knows me?" the man asked turning to face them the bottom half of his face was covered in bandages.

"You sure are a wanted man," Asuma said stepping forward and drawing his two trench knifes ready to fight "what do you want?"

"The builder of course, You're going to fight me. I should feel flattered," he said squatting on the sword "your bounty is quite sizable, on top of that the Hokage's son is sure to increase my price."

"You won't be killing anyone today," Naruto said standing beside Asuma.

"Wait I recognize you, with the bandages," he before he pulled out a book, flipping through some pages and flipping it over, it was the black markets bingo book with a poorly drawn picture of him with bandages over his eyes "you're the blind child, I guess it's true that the Hidden leaf village took you in, ever since then your bounty has gone up."

Naruto was tired of hearing his voice and his comments, so he threw a kunai at him knowing it would do no damage but at least it would shut him up. And sure, enough before it hit its mark Zabuza vanished into the thickening fog taking his sword with him.

"He's the source of this fog," Naruto said to Asuma who simply nodded.

"Stay close to the builder," Asuma commanded weaving hand seals.

"Wind style great breakthrough," releasing the jutsu and Naruto felt as a strong gust of wind expanded from him carrying with it the fog. Looking around he saw what he believed to be Zabuza moving fast all around them.

"Just because you can see me doesn't mean you can stop me," the demon of the mist said before appearing directly in front of them swinging the executioner sword.

Asuma blocked it with his trench knifes adding the wind chakra and now they were face to face, a smirk appeared in Asuma's face before blowing a large cloud of ash. Naruto saw Zabuza quickly retreat but he wasn't fast enough.

"Fire style burning ash," as Zabusa retreated he erupted in a pile of flames the pained wails ran thought the forest.

Ino, and Shikamaru seemed to celebrate with small smiles but Naruto knew it wasn't over, the presence of the demon of the mist still lingered. His feelings were confirmed correct when his laugh rang through the fog that seemed to return, thicker this time around.

"Not bad," Zabuza said his voice drifting away and echoing all around them "however you have seen nothing yet."

Asuma attempted to dissipate the fog again but when the fog was gone, they were all face to face with what he believed to be the clones of Zabuza. Each wielding their executioner's swords with deadly intent, Naruto's eyes widened and raised his sword to block, but before their blades could collide all around them a wall of flame protected them.

"Fire Style, Flint Yagura," the flames seemed to originate from a lighter at Asuma's feet.

"Good, good that would be too easy," Zabuza called out from somewhere in the shadows "I should have known, that was too easy you had something up your sleeve."

"You're smart, but it's time we stop playing games," Asuma said as the flames dissipated, and he picked up his lighter "you three stay with the builder and get low."

"Wind style, wind cutter," Asuma released a powerful and pressurized gust of wind splitting through the thick fog and cutting some trees down as well, the fog parted revealing Zabuza. Asuma immediately charged swinging his trench knifes, swinging fast spinning wildly but Zabuza managed to block every strike. Asuma had the advantage with his speed and agility however Zabuza was able to block all the strikes using his strength and longer sword reach gave him a slight edge.

"Naruto, you can see it can't you?" Shikamaru asked and Naruto knew what he was talking but, Zabuza's sword had the advantage.

"I see it, can you try and help him with your shadow?" Naruto asked.

"I can try but they are moving to fast, plus they're too far away," Shikamaru responded his mind working to try and find a good strategy.

"Naruto you have to o help him," Ino said we will stay back and keep the builder safe "you're the only one who can fight with them."

"I'll go, you two stay put," Naruto said before pulling his bandages off his face revealing his sharingan "It's been a while since the last time I had a good fight anyway."

Naruto approached them with caution following their movements as best as he could with his sharingan, they were moving fast. But he could see patterns the way that Zabuza kept swinging his blade low to cut at Asuma's feet.

'_There is my chance,'_ Naruto thought before jumping forward and swinging at Zabuza's head who simply dodged, but the distraction worked, and Naruto stabbed at the ground. With his sharingan he managed to aim at the whole of the executioner's sword effectively stopping the swing of his sword pinning it to the ground, and now he was on the flat of the blade.

"Naruto duck!" Asuma ordered.

Naruto listened ducking under a slash by Asuma's right trench knife, Zabuza had to drop his blade to avoid the blade from cutting his face. He flipped a couple times before stopping on top of the water, Naruto noticed a cut formed under the right eye of Zabuza, something he couldn't understand since Asuma seemed to have missed.

"Naruto you didn't need to interfere," Asuma said now taking a stance next to him.

"You were at a disadvantage," Naruto said simply almost surprised that he didn't offer his thanks "he kept pushing you back."

"I don't know if you have noticed but I am a Jonin," Asuma said clearly annoyed, much to his surprise "look at my knifes brat."

Naruto didn't understand what he was going on about, but he looked anyways and at first couldn't see anything special about them. But then he saw the chakra that flowed from them extending them, then it dawned on him why Zabuza seemed to have been hurt by Asuma's missed attack. Naruto saw that Zabuza was still just standing at the water and upon closer examination he saw that he had several blood stains all over his body.

"So, you have been hitting him?" Naruto asked genuinely surprised.

"Yes, I have been, and I didn't need your help," Asuma said showing a level of annoyance "now that you're here tell me what you have seen?"

"He's fast, and strong to be able to swing that blade around however he does use his weight to add force to his swing" Naruto responded keeping his eyes on Zabuza "and he seems to radiate strong chakra level, but he hasn't performed many jutsu."

"He seems to be making a move," Asuma said, and Naruto saw that he was weaving some hand signs, he was fast but his Sharingan he managed to catch them all.

_Ox, Monkey, Rabbit, Rat, Boar, Bird, Ox, Horse, Bird, Rat, Tiger, Dog, Tiger, Serpent, Ox, Ram, Serpent, Boar, Ram, Rat, Dragon, Monkey, Bird, Dragon, Bird, Ox, Horse, Ram, Tiger, Serpent, Rat, Monkey, Rabbit, Boar, Dragon, Ram, Rat, Ox, Monkey, Bird, Dragon, Rat, Boar, Bird_.

"Water Style, Water Dragon Jutsu," the water all around him began to trash violently and a large pillar of water rose from behind him taking the shape of a dragon. It began to swim in the air before it shifted his attention towards them and dove at them letting out a powerful roar. Both Naruto and Asuma jumped out the way to either side as the water threw them farther than they intended.

Naruto rolled to a stop and looked at the spot where they had been seconds before and saw that Zabuza was now there. Zabuza was now standing there holding his blade once more, before they could do anything Asuma was kicked in the stomach making him roll a few feet towards the water.

"Sensei!" Naruto heard Ino cry out in a panic.

As Asuma began to rise from his knees a water figure appeared from behind him and grabbed him by the back of the neck. Then the water started to rise and surround Asuma covering him completely and trapping him in the sphere. Naruto rushed towards Asuma, but he was quickly stopped by Zabuza who appeared in front of him and swung the massive blade at him in a downward arch. Naruto had no choice but to dive and roll out of the way while rolling he managed to weave some hand signs.

"Wind style wind bullets," releasing a barrage of invisible bullets that forced Zabuza to retreat and dodge.

"Naruto, you and the others need to retreat!" Asuma ordered from within the water prison "you are no match for him."

But Naruto had some trouble listening to him as he continued to dodge the onslaught of attacks coming from Zabuza. He got a break when a few kunai with explosives tags as well as exploding gas bullets hit all around discouraging Zabuza's attacks. Naruto rushed towards his teammates that where on the shore still protecting the builder.

"One of your kids is something," Naruto heard one of the Zabuza's tell Asuma.

Naruto was now standing a few feet in front of the builder and his teammates, soaked and panting but unharmed. Zabuza was directly in front of him, he was holding his blade lazily over his shoulders, with a wild look on his eyes, and a disturbing grin was seen now that his bandages were gone from his face.

"Are you going to face me or run away leaving your sensei behind?" Zabuza asked while Asuma pleaded them to leave.

"We can't just leave him there," Ino said worriedly.

"Ino is right," Shikamaru said clearly speaking against his usual lazy demeanor "that is not what we were trained for."

"You do what you have to do," the builder said drawing a large knife "I'll protect myself."

Now that they were all together Naruto created ten clones all who drew their swords and took up a fight stance.

"I will attack and when you see an opening attack," Naruto said before he charged at Zabuza with all his clones, Zabuza smiled as he and his clones attacked.

Naruto tried everything swinging at Zabuza, but he had the speed, and strength. Naruto had hoped that to catch him by surprise by mixing in some exploding wind clones with the regular shadow clones, but he managed to dodge the wind blades and quickly make work of his clones.

"Was that all you have?" Zabuza said now facing him as he stood alone, but before he could swing the massive blade, he was assaulted by poison smoke bullets and kunai. Giving him the chance to retreat once more and make some more clones. Getting the memories from his other clones he saw how easily how would swing his blade and dodge, his speed and agility were surprising considering his size.

"You won't be able to beat him with numbers alone," Asuma sensei said from his watery prison but the Zabuza just let out a loud laugh.

While Naruto was attacking constantly it wasn't because he thought he could overwhelm him but to learn more about his opponent. With his sharingan vision and the memories from his many clones he learned about his weaknesses.

"His advantage is his size and skill with that large blade," Naruto communicated to Shikamaru and Ino "but he is vulnerable to long ranged attacks and combined with our numbers it should be enough to defeat the clone."

"The clone isn't the problem," Shikamaru said "if we could only deal with the real one and free Asuma."

"Attack when you see the opening," Naruto simply said.

Naruto created more clones and charged at Zabuza with half of them, while the rest of them weaved hand signs and in hailed air. Zabuza made quick work of his clones dodging and evading every attack including the exploding wind waves from his clones.

"Wind style wind bullets jutsu," the Naruto clones released the invisible wind bullets most where blocked by Zabuza's sword, but many made it past clearly aimed at the real Zabuza.

"Is that what you were aiming for Naruto," Ino said from behind him clearly happy that Naruto had a plan.

The real Zabuza seemed to smile under his bandages and easily blocked the bullets but his eyes widened as the Zabuza clone brought down his sword at the real one's arm. Instinctively Zabuza had to pull his hand from the prison. With a swift swing he sliced the clone's head of effectively dispelling the water clone revealing Shikamaru who had his shadow manipulation jutsu hand seals.

Shikamaru's (POV)

Shikamaru was as confused as ever, Naruto didn't even explain his plan but nevertheless he was ready as was Ino next to him. It came to no surprise as the Zabuza clone cut through the clones without a single scratch.

"What is Naruto planning?" Ino asked him quietly, but he simply shrugged knowing the same as she did.

Naruto's next move was to shoot at the distracted water clone with all his clones, but as expected he easily blocked or dodged them. Just as the water clone dodged, Shikamaru noticed that some of the bullets missed on purpose aiming directly at the real clone. Then he saw the opportunity Naruto spoke of as the back of the clone was too him.

"Shadow possession jutsu," Shikamaru kneeled and watched as his shadow expanded reaching the Zabuza clone's shadow.

'The jutsu is complete,' Shikamaru thought and noticed the nod from Naruto and he understood, he ran forward forcing the clone to move racing towards the real one who was unsuspecting of anything. He saw as the real one blocked Naruto's bullets and made the hand motions to swing at Zabuza's arm that controlled the water prison.

'_This is going to work,'_ as the real Zabuza moved to dodge releasing the jutsu, just before the clone he was controlling cut off his hand. With a loud splash the clone was no more, but now he was standing a few feet away from an angry Zabuza. The clone had struggled the whole time he was controlling him leaving him slightly winded and defenseless.

"You brat," Zabuza screamed preparing to throw his large sword, fear coursed through his body Naruto was preparing some jutsu behind him, but it might be too late.

'This is it I guess,' he thought as he looked up at the sky.

He was brought back to reality as a howl of pain erupted from Zabuza, as he looked over, he saw that Asuma sensei had stabbed him on the thigh while simultaneously stopping the blade with his trench knifes. Then the sound of Naruto's wind bullets passed through him hitting Zabuza's chest with enough force to knock him back.

"Good job guys," Asuma sensei said panting as got up to his feet a look of hatred in his eyes "now stand back and leave the rest to me."

Shikamaru walked away from the edge of the water as Asuma sensei dashed at a stagered Zabuza quickly slashing at anything he could, this time his speed was overwhelming Zabuza's size, blood started pouring from multiple injuries. Zabuza tried to counterattack with a barrage of wild swings creating some separation space which Asuma sensei took advantage off.

"Fire Style, Burning Ash," Asuma sensei said blowing a large pillar of smoke at Zabuza which he later lit up making him erupt in a large column of fire. Asuma sensei quickly rushed at him once more delivering a spinning high kick to Zabuza's head making him roll a few feet away still on the water.

"Water Style, Water Bullets," Zabuza quickly spit out a multitude of them at Asuma sensei.

"Wind Style, Wind Bullets," Asuma sensei spit out in return stopping the water bullets and landing a few on Zabuza who was knocked back.

'This is what a Jonin level battle is like,' Shikamaru thought as he watched the two high level ninjas fight each other. Of course, Zabuza was on a clear disadvantage with Asuma sensei continued to push him further.

"Water Style Water Wall jutsu," Zabuza created a wall of water in a desperate attempt to get a breather but he was quickly disappointed.

"Wind Style Wind Torpedo," Asuma sensei released a large pressurized ball of air that exploded against his water wall making a whole which he rushed through easily overwhelming him. Asuma sensei quickly kicked him a few feet but before he could deliver the finishing blow Zabuza swung his blade at Asuma sensei. He managed to block it, but he was thrown back a few feet while he managed to block it, he was slow to get up.

With that Zabuza started to weave some hands signs but he wasn't the only one as Naruto was doing the same. However, he seemed to be copying him the same hand seals and timing this seemed to surprise Zabuza as they both finished at the same time.

"Water Style, Water Dragon Jutsu," and as they finished the water was trashing worse than ever before as two water dragons rose from behind them, Naruto's dragon seemed to be larger. And when they clashed Naruto's dragon pushed past Zabuza's dragon and straight for him.

"What is this?" Zabuza yelled out as the dragon crashed onto him making the ground shake thrashing Zabuza around through the floor. Zabuza was thrown against a tree and Asuma sensei pinned him pushing his trench knifes against his chest.

"You're finished," Asuma sensei said, but before he could finish him off two ninja needles pierced Zabuza's neck the body of Zabuza collapsed to the floor lifeless.

Shikamaru got on a ready stance along with his teammates prepared for another opponent, Naruto seemed to be the first one notice it and he pointed at a tree opposite from where Zabuza had just collapsed.

The ninja's outfit consisted of the standard Kirigakure pinstriped outfit which stopped at his knees. Over this he wore a green haori with white trimmings, and around his waist a brown sash with a fringed trail wrapped around his waist twice. The ninja had two locks of his hair fell loose framing his hunter-nin mask, which was white with thin curved eyeholes and a red wavy design in place of the mouth, as well as the Kirigakure symbol etched in the top.

"A hunter ninja," Shikamaru said with his kunai ready, but his attention was drawn back to Asuma sensei.

"He's dead."

"Yes, he's my target," the ninja said devoid of any emotion "Kirigakure has sent me to kill him and bring his body back".

"You had no right to interfere," Naruto said anger clear on his voice "we had been targeted by him, we fought him, and we defeated him, you only came when the opportunity struck."

"But he's my target and I killed him," the ninja said.

"You can take him," Asuma sensei said surprising them all.

"Thank you," the hunter ninja disappearing for a second and appearing next to Zabuza's body lifting it on his shoulders and disappearing once more before Naruto could continue to argue.

"Gather yourselves, we leave as soon as we can," Asuma sensei said sheathing his trench knifes.

"He was ours, why did you let that ninja take him?" Naruto asked Asuma with an unknown anger in his voice while Ino seemed to be trying to calm him down. While Naruto is quite shorter than Asuma sensei, he was trying to scream at his face.

"The hunter ninja helped us get rid of the body I don't understand why you're angry," Asuma said pushing past him, but Naruto wasn't ready to let it go.

"You just didn't want to deal with it, your lazy bastard" Naruto said following Asuma sensei who just continued to walk away towards the builder "or maybe you're just a coward."

"What do you think you where going to do with the body, keep it as a trophy," Asuma said finally acknowledging Naruto "that ninja was trained to hunt and kill powerful ninja that go rogue, he was fresh while we have been fighting and on top of that he might not be alone."

"We could have beat him but now we wont ever know," Naruto said seemingly understanding and backing off.

"We're almost to the coast where we will take a boat the rest of the way," the builder said pulling everyone's attention away from Naruto's burst of anger.

"Naruto!" Ino called out as he collapsed to one knee holding his eyes, and for the first time since the battle he noticed how tiered he looked.

"You overused your sharingan didn't you," Asuma said standing over him.

"How did he?" Ino asked.

"Whenever a sharingan is used by a non-Uchiha it drains the chakra at a much higher rate," Asuma sensei said simply but it was clear that Ino didn't fully understand "Naruto keeps them covered to avoid using them as much, using chakra it gives the user incredible clarity of perception, and when he copied his Jutsu, and the walking on water."

"I'm fine just a minor discomfort, and I already knew how to walk on water," Naruto said rising to his feet and covering his eyes once more "I learned new jutsu, I don't know how I just had it on my mind the hand seals and I visualized what the jutsu was."

"That's the sharingan at work, it will take you some time to get used to it" Asuma sensei said.

"You did well kid," the builder told Naruto starting to make his way back on the road "we need to keep moving, we're almost there."

"Yes, we do," Asuma sensei said following behind the builder "what about the other ninjas? Have they sent anyone else to get them?"

"Yes, I think so," Naruto said.

"Well let's get this old man home," Ino said jokingly making the old man grumble.

Zabuza Momochi

Ninjutsu:4.5

Taijutsu:4.5

Genjutsu:2.5

Intelligence:3

Strength:4

Speed:4

Stamina:4

Hand Seals:4

Total:30.5

**Thank you for your continuous support of this story. Before many of you complain about how Asuma couldn't do all those jutsu in the show I'm adding them because I think that Asuma sensei along with many other characters weren't strong enough for their rank. Like Asuma he's a Jonin yet couldn't perform many jutsu, I feel like this is a problem with many ninjas like Ino and Hinata they come from powerful families yet they're weak. **


	12. Team Seven

11\. Team Seven

Sasuke's (POV)

"Clear!" Sasuke called out from the back of a wagon.

"You may go," Sakura said to the wagon driver.

"This is boring," Choji said pulling out a bag of chips and stuffing his mouth.

"It's not fair, how come Ino gets to go on a mission outside of the village yet we are stuck searching these wagons," Sakura complained to Kakashi who stood against the wall in the shade, Sasuke had been wondering the same thing.

"Well they did fight Mizuki," Choji said looking up from his bag of chips.

"Well, I heard that Ino and her team just got beat up," Sakura said bitterly "and that Naruto was the one that got Mizuki to steal the scroll."

Sasuke had been thinking the same thing, it bothered him how easily Naruto and his team had gotten a better mission. Sure, they had beaten a Chunin instructor but to be given a C rated mission annoyed him.

"I'm sure they won't last long before failing their mission," Sakura added giving him a reassuring smile "Ino is probably slowing them down."

"Team seven your presence is requested," a Jonin said appearing in between them "you are to appear before the Hokage."

The Jonin disappeared as fast as he had appeared leaving them all stunned, Sasuke could see Kakashi sensei's annoyance as he put away his book. Sasuke could not help but be annoyed as well what kind of mission were, they going to be assigned to next, babysitting a cat.

"Let's go," Kakashi sensei said leading them towards the Hokage's tower.

They walked past many of the trader's carriages they had inspected at the market's square, when they arrived and were quickly escorted into the Hokage's office, where the elders and the Hokage waited for them. But they were not alone, a dirty looking Naruto was standing beside them.

"Lord third you've summoned us?" Kakashi sensei asked bowing slightly, the rest of the team followed suit.

"Yes, team seven you have been summoned to take part in assisting team ten," the Hokage said, this made Sasuke smile.

'_The cocky ass has finally made a mistake,' _Sasuke thought _'it will finally be my chance to prove myself.'_

"So, they need our help? Has Ino gotten herself captured?" Sakura asked clearly as happy as he felt.

"No nothing of that nature has happened," the Hokage said motioning for Naruto to step forward and speak "he will give you the rest of the details."

"We encountered two ninjas on our way, and we managed to subdue them, Asuma sensei knew them to be the demon brothers," Naruto's voice seemed slightly different, and this wasn't the news he was hopping "however we needed to continue on our way and could not afford to wait so I was sent to get help retrieving them."

"So, they just need us to collect their enemies?" Sasuke asked anger rising within him, how was he to prove himself.

"As far I know that is all team ten needs help in," Naruto stated.

"What else has happened in your mission?" Kakashi sensei asked, but Naruto turned to the Hokage with a questioning look, which in return nodded.

"Team ten along with the real me has just defeated the known criminal, Zabuza Momochi," Naruto said revealing himself to be a clone.

"Zabuza the Demon of the Hidden Mist? One of the seven swordsmen of the hidden mist village?" Kakashi sensei asked surprise and slight worry filled his voice "What rank was this mission? Genin should not have to face the likes of Zabuza."

"It was a C ranked mission," the Hokage said "they should not have had to fight him or the demon twins however they have done a great job at fighting them."

"Are we to help them with the rest of their mission?" Kakashi sensei asked clearly not happy about what he had heard.

"Team seven is only to retrieve the two fallen enemies," the Hokage said his tone left no room for discussion "you can go now, follow Naruto who will show you where to find them."

Kakashi sensei simply bowed and turned to exit the room followed by the rest of them and Naruto's clone. Sasuke was not sure who it was they had fought but it was clear that they had to be strong for Kakashi to act this way. They wasted no time and made their way towards the southern gate following the clone.

"Who is this Zabuza? And who are the seven swordsmen?" Sakura asked.

"And the demon twins?" Choji added to Sakura's list of questions.

"Zabuza is a feared criminal from the village hidden on the mist, he became a ninja when they were still called the blood mist village," Kakashi sensei said with a pensive look on his eye "and he has a reputation for his talent killing his targets using mist to cover all trace of himself and hard to defend against."

"And the Swordsmen?" Choji asked this time for once his face was not stuffed with food.

"There are seven special swords, powerful swords, many believe that they have a mind of their own, since they chose who they serve with," Kakashi sensei responded "only the most powerful and talented people in the village are able to wield them."

"Zabuza was incredibly strong, he managed to trap Asuma in a water prison," the Naruto clone said a touch of admiration in his voice "we managed to free him and defeat Zabuza, however some hunter ninja came and took his body, something about him being a rogue ninja."

"This hunter ninja took the whole body?" Kakashi sensei asked, this seemed to confuse him.

"Yes, he took the body, which I think the real Naruto thinks is weird," the clone said confusing all of them "I'm not sure how the whole memories thing works with the shadow clones."

"When did you learn to make shadow clones?" Kakashi sensei asked, Sasuke was wondering the same thing he had read about them and knew it was a forbidden technique.

"I learned it from the scroll of sealing when Mizuki tried to steal it," Naruto said simply.

"So, it is true that he stole the scroll for you?" Sakura asked clearly taunting Naruto, not bothering to hide her displeasure of him. She sent him a knowing smile, which Sasuke ignored.

"No, contrary to popular belief we did everything we could to stop him," the Naruto's clone responded without bothering to turn around "of course I would never expect you to have an original opinion, always following the crowd."

"Don't talk to me like that, Sasuke say something to him," Sakura said, but Sasuke knew that she deserved it.

"So, you had time to read the scroll of sealing?" Sasuke asked.

"I had a look at the seals and got some help from Asuma, and Iruka," Naruto said quickly.

"That's impressive Naruto, that is a Jonin level technique," Kakashi sensei said sounding mildly interested "but you know many high-level techniques, don't you?"

The villagers sent a few glares towards Naruto as they made their way out the village, Sasuke had noticed the way the villagers treated him, along with many of the other academy students. The clone was trying to hide his face as discreetly as possible.

"You seem different Naruto," Kakashi asked and Sasuke was thinking the same thing, he had not noticed until now that he was being quieter.

"It's the effect of the clone jutsu," the Naruto clone said his voice now low and he was avoiding the villagers' stares.

"So how are Ino and Shikamaru?" Choji asked.

"They're all okay, as far as I know," the clone responded.

"Ino hasn't gotten into trouble yet?" Sakura asked a hopeful expression on her eyes.

"No everything is going go-" Naruto was cut off as he dodged a rock that whistled past.

They all tried to look around for the culprit, but everyone seemed to be minding their own business, the group fell into an uncomfortable silence as they exited the city. Once outside the city Kakashi gave a signal and they started to run following Naruto. After a solid hour of running they stopped to rest since Sakura and Choji were beginning to lag. Sasuke refused to sit or show any signs of getting tiered but he was beginning to feel some exhaustion. Kakashi and Naruto where standing away from the group and talking about something, it annoyed him how he seemed to care more for Naruto than for the people on his team.

"Let's get moving," Kakashi said following Naruto not waiting to see if the others would follow.

"Come on guys we need to get moving," Sasuke said.

"Can't we rest a bit more?" Sakura asked pleading.

"We're falling behind already," Sasuke responded anger rising within him.

"I's assuming that you don't mean just right now?" Sakura asked starting to get up and pulling Choji along.

"There they are," the clone said pointing at a waving clone that was standing next to two slumped bodies "that's another clone I assigned to watch over them while you guys got here."

"We'll take these two to the village," Kakashi sensei said, "you two can leave the rest to us."

"Thank you, once we dissipate Naruto and the rest of team ten will know you guys are in charge of the prisoners," one of the Naruto clones said.

"Good luck to you guys," Choji said before the clones dissipated, who simply nodded.

"Still don't understand how they got to go on this mission and not us," Sakura said but with the details they had been given he wasn't so sure the rest of his team would be able to handle it.

"Just do your jobs now and once you're ready you will be appointed to a better mission," Kakashi sensei said simply.

"It will take forever for the elders to put us on better missions, if we can't prove ourselves," Sasuke said freeing the bodies from the tree but keeping their arms and torso restrained, but dropped the matter noticing that Kakashi wasn't paying attention.

"Just restrain them I'll place them under a Genjutsu, they will walk back we just need to watch them and keep them tied up," Kakashi said before kneeling and slapping awake the two ninjas.

"What happened?" one of the ninjas asked, "Who are you?"

"You are going to follow us to the hidden village," Kakashi said pulling his eye cover revealing his sharingan, Sasuke had seen it before during the test to get their spots as Kakashi's students.

"Yes sir," they both said in unison standing up, and quickly followed behind Kakashi as he started making his way back.

"That was easy," Sakura said.

"This is still stupid," Sasuke said anger rising within him "why send us out here just to get these two to the village."

"You just need to be patient," Kakashi said leading the group "you have the talent and your time will come."

"How are we to get any stronger if you won't teach us anything?" Sasuke asked angrily grabbing two shuriken from his pouch.

"Sasuke what are you doing?" Sakura asked her face wrinkling up in confusion.

"Proving a point," he said releasing the shuriken, as expected they hit a stump with a cloud of smoke, he rolled dogging an incoming kunai.

"Sasuke stop this, he is our sensei," Sakura said.

"What kind of sensei doesn't teach their students?" his sharingan scanning the surroundings not able to locate their so-called sensei.

"Sasuke this is not the way to do things," Choji pointed out his hand deep in a bag of chips.

"What do you think I should do fatty?" Sasuke said annoyed at his teammates being so cowardly.

"What did you call me?" he responded his face turning a bright shade of red, dropping his bag of chips.

"He didn't say any-" Sakura tried to say before being cut off.

"I called you a fatty, what are you going to do?" Sasuke taunted whilst dodging a new set of kunai aimed towards his head.

Just as he dodged the kunai, he was knocked aside by a large mass he did not see coming, his back flared in pain as he pulled himself of the trunk. Dodging another incoming mass, he noticed what it was attacking him.

"What is the matter with you?" Sasuke yelled at Choji before sending a fire ball to no effect as the dynamics of his boulder no jutsu dispersed the fire and heat.

"You called him fatty," Sakura yelled trying to calm down Choji "he doesn't like it."

"Why should I care what makes him mad?"

"Because we are your teammates," Sakura said a pained expression on her face.

Rolling out of the way to dodge Choji he noticed that the two prisoners were not in their restrains. In their place where two puddles and the faces of the mist village ninjas rising from within them, before sinking and disappearing.

"Wait the ninjas we had to bring back have escaped," Sasuke tried to reason with Choji to no avail "this is stupid we have more important things to do."

"Now you realize it?" Kakashi's voice said all around them but Choji did not seem to care his jutsu was still active chasing after him.

"Fine I didn't want to do this," Sasuke said dodging left and right while making hand signs "Fire style fire ball jutsu."

But not aiming at Choji this time he aimed all around him hoping that the smoke would get to him, the fires quickly caught all around them all this was sure to stop Choji and draw out Kakashi. But something was wrong Sakura seemed to notice it too and her hands where placed together. She seemed to be trying to break a Genjutsu, this could not be a Genjutsu.

"Release," he attempted to break the Genjutsu and it shattered immediately, he woke. Sakura was standing over him and Choji releasing him from the Genjutsu. Kakashi was just sitting there reading his book and the enemy ninja were still asleep.

"I see you have learned something Sakura," Kakashi said "however I am afraid that you three are no real team, and maybe you will never be."

"We can never be a team," Sasuke yelled out "we are too different, we don't have the same goals, they are beneath me."

"I'll admit I saw a bit of potential in you three," Kakashi said getting up closing his stupid book "but I'm disappointed."

**Sorry guys for the long wait, I have been terribly busy and just have not had a chance to really sit, think and write. I hope you all are staying safe during these times with the Coronavirus. This is more of a filler chapter but I am working on a new chapter right now. **

**David out. **


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